Romana

In the face of the challenge of strengthening families and sound customs in society, on June 2, 2007, a cycle of conferences for specialists in the field of domestic finances was held. Those invited included professionals in this field and representatives of some German associations that promote work in the home.

Kristin Schlegel-Matties, a professor at the University of Paderborn; Heide Steiger, a businesswoman; Anette Brammer, a high school teacher; and Dörte Folkers, from the German Food Association, were among the speakers. Their presentations covered quite varied topics but all had a common denominator: the importance of family life and work in the home, and of the need for society to recognize this.

The talks focussed on the urgent need to construct a society favorable to the family, making it easier to harmonize the professional work of women with their tasks as mothers and educators. Heide Steiger spoke about a consulting program being offered to companies that wanted to help their employees combine a demanding professional work with attention to their families. The experience here has been very positive. To the extent that a company takes into account the family obligations of its employees and provides specific solutions (more flexible hours, the possibility of leaving the children in a company nursery, etc.), a relationship of trust is developed which also improves the quality of employees’ work.