WORK LIFE BALANCE POLICIES IN TURKIYE FROM THE PERSPECTIVES OF INSTITUTIONAL ACTORS: AN ANALYSIS OF DESIGN, IMPLEMENTATION, AND RESULTS

Date

2026-5-20

Author

Yılmaz Gülcemal, Sema

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This thesis aims to examine the design, implementation, and outcomes of work-life balance policies in Türkiye from the perspective of institutional actors working in this field. The study addresses the current policy framework in Türkiye within the context of the care regime approach, gender equality and welfare state literature, and European Union regulations. The fieldwork is based on semi-structured interviews conducted with 11 individuals who have expertise and experience in this field across different institutions and organizations. The findings of the study reveal that although work–life balance policies in Türkiye are supported by a relatively developed legal and institutional framework, they remain limited in achieving the intended transformation. The main reasons for this limitation include the inadequacies in the scope, quality, and organization of care services; the gender dimension; the evolution of policy objectives over time; the gap between policy design and implementation; the limited and sometimes contradictory effects of existing policy tools; the structural characteristics of the labor market; and shortcomings in governance capacity. The findings particularly highlight that the need for improvement in care services and the way these services are institutionally organized play a decisive role in shaping the outcomes of this policy area. This thesis explains the effects of work-life balance policies in Türkiye within a compehensive framework and offers policy recommendations accordingly.

Subject Keywords

Work–life balance, care services, gender equality, women’s employment, social policy

URI

https://hdl.handle.net/11511/119137

Collections

Graduate School of Social Sciences, Thesis