The survey, entitled "Motherhood and Career", was carried out in November by the institute for research and education "Working Mum", covering 1,200 respondents. The survey was financially supported by the Croatian Employers Association and the Moj.Posao.net job search portal.
It shows that working mothers' income, which ranges from HRK 3,000 to more than 20,000, accounts for the bigger part of the household budget in 60% of families, while 17% of respondents with low (HRK 3,500-6,000) or medium (6,000-9,000) income contribute to more than 80% of the household budget.
At the same time, even though women contribute more to the household budget, their partners assume more obligations in household chores and child care in only 20% of all cases. Women with higher qualifications, holding an MA or a PhD degree, are in a slightly better position because their husbands participate more in household chores (50-60%).
Gender Equality Ombudswoman Visnja Ljubicic said the data was in correlation with surveys on gender equality in Croatia and revealed traditional roles of women and men, even though there was a growing number of young and educated families where men were increasingly participating in household chores and care for children.
Ljubicic said it was worrying that 46% of women were unable to continue building their careers because of additional family obligations and lack of understanding at work. She called for creating such working conditions that would be tailored to suit women more, noting that this was a current topic in the EU as well.
The survey shows that women with a better educational background encounter fewer obstacles in building their career, while mothers whose income accounts for less than 40% of the household budget are in the least favourable position.
If they had a chance to change something at work, working mothers would want a higher salary (42%), more time and energy, greater flexibility in work organisation (31%) and fewer working hours (21%). As for job flexibility, they would prefer introduction of flexible working hours, occasional stay-at-home work, and a compressed work week (working 40 hours a week over fewer days).
Sixty-one percent of the respondents said they did not have such working conditions, which are mostly available to women in higher management positions. Such work conditions mostly include flexible working hours (57%) and stay-at-home work (16%).
The survey also shows that balancing one's career and family is easier for working mothers in higher management positions, which, researchers conclude, should be a clear message to women not to be afraid of assuming more responsibilities.
Working mothers also feel guilty for not spending enough time with their family (65%), 50% believe they are good mothers, while 35% say they would like to be better mothers.
"The survey results show that balancing private life and work is really a challenge for women, but in spite of that, 70% of working mothers would not be happy with their life if they did not have a job or a career," said project manager Dijana Kobas Deskovic.
She noted that data showing that 60% of women in Croatia were highly educated was proof that women were very ambitious and wanted to study and work.
Most of the women covered by the survey, 52%, have university degrees, 25% have secondary education and 11% have three-year college education.