Abstract
The study examines the effect of long-distance commuting on the division of domestic labor in heterosexual couples. A long journey to work can affect other areas of life. Commuters often have lower life satisfaction and their intimate relationships may be impaired by mental stress. When looking at domestic labor the question arises of who is in charge of managing the household and childcare. Do women still adopt the “lion’s share of housework” or take over the “second shift” if they spend part of the day on long commutes to work and back home? A long commute is defined as a journey to work of at least 45 minutes, daily or several times a week. We present the results of pooled regression analysis and fixed effects regressions conducted on data from the German Panel Analysis of Intimate Relationships and Family Dynamics (pairfam) for the years 2013, 2015, and 2016. The pooled analysis suggests a moderate association between a woman’s long commute and her partner’s engagement in housework and childcare, especially when she commutes daily. Instead of living ‘reversed roles’, the partners share such tasks. However, when the association between a woman’s long commute and her partner’s engagement in childcare is estimated exclusively with fixed regression, it remains significant. If the man is a long-distance commuter, most often his partner is solely responsible for all household tasks. Relative labor market position and income distribution within the couples, as well as adherence to gender roles explain the effects of long-distance commuting on labor division.
Highlights
One of the most significant social changes over the last decades in Germany has been the increase in women’s participation in the labor market, driven by the growing participation of married women and mothers since the 1960s (Kollmeyer 2013; Grunow 2013; Nitsche & Grunow 2016)
We present the results of pooled regression analysis and fixed effects regressions conducted on data from the German Panel Analysis of Intimate Relationships and Family Dynamics for the years 2013, 2015, and 2016
This study examined the question of how couples manage household labor if the female or male partner commutes over a long distance
Summary
One of the most significant social changes over the last decades in Germany has been the increase in women’s participation in the labor market, driven by the growing participation of married women and mothers since the 1960s (Kollmeyer 2013; Grunow 2013; Nitsche & Grunow 2016). The division of labor within households and intimate relationships seems to be crucial for gender inequality between men and women. Improvements in the infrastructure for transportation and communication have helped mobility and flexibility to become important characteristics of modern societies (Schneider et al 2002a) These improvements, together with social changes (such as individualization) have led to a growing importance of different forms of spatial mobility. We know little about the relevance of commuting on the division of household labor This is surprising in light of the fact that the increase in women’s employment has led to a double burden for women in that they take on the "second shift" (Hochschild & Machung 2003). Irregular tasks, such as grocery shopping, repairs, and household management activities are not considered here. Exploring the effects of commuting on gender roles may provide valuable insights for future policies related to work and family balances for men and women
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