“I work 45 hours a week, my wife works 42, and we both feel like we can’t get anything done,” shares Yuval, a software engineer and father of two. This statement reflects the new reality of the Israeli labor market, where gender gaps are narrowing, but the challenges continue to grow.
Today, November 19th, marks International Men’s Day, dedicated to raising awareness of men’s unique contributions to the family, society, and the labor market, while also addressing the challenges they face.This is an excellent opportunity to reflect on their evolving roles in the workplace and within the family.
The data present an interesting picture: the weekly work-hour gap between men and women has narrowed to an average of 3.2 hours, a significant decrease from the 8.5-hour gap recorded a decade ago. Today, 85% of men and 78% of women aged 25–54 participate in the workforce (OECD Gender Data). In Israel overall, 66.6% of men and 60.2% of women are employed across all sectors. In Arab society, the employment rate is 53.2% for men and only 29.61% for women. In Haredi society, the pattern is quite different: 82% of women are employed, compared to just 51% of men.
However, behind these numbers lies a more complex story. “Every time I leave work early to pick up my kids, I feel the stares,” shares Ayal, a 41-year-old marketing manager. “But when my wife, who works as a doctor, leaves early, it’s taken for granted.
We at “Avoda Shava,” we conducted online surveys and found that some men reported they were not allowed to leave work early because it was expected that their wives, as mothers, should handle such tasks. One respondent even shared: “I asked to leave early to pick up my kids from daycare, and my boss asked, ‘Can’t your wife do it? Is she spoiled?’”
This sentiment highlights the duality of the modern labor market—while the numbers indicate progress toward equality, social stigmas remain deeply entrenched.
In the #Father_at_Four campaign, launched in partnership with the Civil Service Commission and other organizations, we addressed the need for men to balance work and life, highlighting the benefits this brings to organizations, to men themselves, and to advancing gender equality in the labor market.
Burnout does not differentiate between genders. According to the World Health Organization, 72% of men and 68% of women work beyond standard hours. However, the difference lies in emotions—45% of men report feeling they are missing significant moments with their children, while 58% of women report experiencing guilt in this context.
The most significant revolution is happening in the realm of active parenting. “I took a two-month parental leave, and it was a life-changing decision,” shares Noaa David, a high-tech project manager. Her husband, Ron, joined her for a month—part of a growing trend of fathers taking parental leave since 2020. Today, 28% of couples report an equal division of household chores, a figure that would have seemed unimaginable a decade ago.
Alongside the announcement of the paternity leave reform for men in 2020, the National Insurance Institute presented data showing that in the past two years, 1,290 men took maternity leave using their wives' entitlements, compared to 1,620 in 2019, a figure that had been rising. This decrease is likely due to the rise in unpaid leave during that period.
The percentage of men who took parental leave using their wives' entitlements and received paid leave decreased by 20% during the two years of the coronavirus pandemic, from 1,620 in 2019 to 1,290 in 2021. This is based on data published by the National Insurance Institute, against the backdrop of a government initiative to grant fathers two weeks of parental leave after their wives' leave, rather than deducting it from their wives' entitlement.
The coronavirus pandemic accelerated changes that were already underway. Today, 65% of high-tech companies, 45% of service companies, and 30% of the public sector offer hybrid work options. "This changes the game for everyone," says Michal, Vice President of Human Resources. "Men and women can finally manage their careers without sacrificing their family."However, the situation has recently shifted, with more and more companies returning to in-office work for most days of the week.
What is happening now during this time of war? Everything we knew before has changed.Many men are serving in the military as "reserve soldiers," often for multiple rounds, while many women are left to manage the household, care for children, and provide financial support, all while worrying about their husbands or relatives.The balance has been disrupted, and the Israeli labor market currently does not resemble the trends of change we observe in the Western world.Hopefully, the situation will improve once the war ends.
Innovative solutions for the labor market are already being implemented in advanced companies: many large companies now offer flexible working hours, and there has been an increase in the number of daycare centers at workplaces.To encourage parents to integrate into the workforce, the country provides support for organized daycare centers and certified nurseries.
Recently, following the "Daycare Subsidy Law," a bill proposed by Knesset member Israel Eichler (United Torah Judaism) and other Knesset members seeks to change the criteria for admitting children to organized daycare centers and certified nurseries.
According to the law, the subsidy criterion will depend solely on the woman’s employment status, regardless of the man’s occupation.
Predictions for 2025 are optimistic—depending on whom you ask.Let’s hope so: many organizations are expected to offer hybrid work options. Will there be a significant increase in the number of fathers taking parental leave? Will the gender pay gap shrink?Time will tell.
We are in the midst of a profound cultural shift. The younger generation no longer accepts the traditional dichotomy between career and family. They demand—and receive—the right to live a full life on both fronts.Hopefully, the strength for change will come from below—that is, from employees entering the labor market—who will transform it for the better.
Yuval, who began the article, reflects: “When I started working, the concept of 'work-life balance' felt like a distant dream. Today, it’s no longer a question of 'if,' but 'how.' Perhaps our generation won’t achieve perfect balance, but we are certainly paving the way for our children.”
The author: Michal Mats-Litmanovich, Co-CEO of Avoda Shava (Equal Work)
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