Part-time work is an increasingly common strategy for handling work and family but is it an efective strategy everywhere and for everyone? To answer this question, we examine the satisfaction with work life balance of workers in 22 European countries included in round ve of the European Social Survey. Our results show that part-time workers are more satisf ed with their work-life balance than full-time workers; the
more so, the fewer hours they put in. Yet, we fi nd an important gender diference: Women in marginal part-time work (< 21 hours/week) are more satis ed than men in a similar situation, and conversely men in full- time work are more satis ed than women working full-time. Further, then at societal context plays an important role: substantial part-time work (21{34 hours/week) is more conducive to satisfaction with work-life balance in more gender-egalitarian countries than in countries with low gender equality. Hence, a supportive gender climate and institutional support may entice workers to reduce working hours moderately, which results in markedly increased levels of SWLB.
