Equilíbrio entre família e carreira no ambiente universitário: diretrizes para uma política de apoio à parentalidade para servidores

Abstract

This study aimed to propose guidelines for establishing an Institutional Policy to Support Parenthood at the Universidade Federal da Fronteira Sul (UFFS), in southern Brazil, based on an analysis of institutional conditions, the experiences of faculty and administrative staff with parental responsibilities, and practices identified at other federal universities. The research is situated within the field of Public Administration and addresses the reconciliation of work and caregiving responsibilities, professional trajectories, and gender inequalities. The study is aligned with Sustainable Development Goals 5 and 8 of the 2030 Agenda. A descriptive and exploratory multistage mixed methods framework was adopted, using UFFS as a case study. The research combined a survey of faculty and administrative staff, interviews with managers, a literature review, and document analysis. The survey targeted an accessible population of 877 employees with registered children or stepchildren and yielded 193 valid responses; two central administration managers were interviewed. The institutional assessment was complemented by the application of the Institutional Maturity Framework for Parenthood, FMIP, in its Portuguese acronym, to the eleven federal universities in Southern Brazil. The results indicated that perceived supervisor support showed the most consistent pattern of association among the variables examined, being associated with both directions of work-family conflict, work-to-family interference (WIF) and family-to-work interference (FIW), and with the loss of professional opportunities. Career and the age of the youngest child were associated with FIW, whereas men and women did not differ in their perceived levels of work–family conflict. Gender differences emerged in professional trajectories, with women being more likely to report having lost professional opportunities. Regarding institutional needs, the highest proportions of responses rated as “Priority” were concentrated on vacation periods aligned with school holidays, occasional remote work, information about rights and entitlements, and flexible working hours. The FMIP assessment identified gaps at UFFS in governance, formalization, mobilization, and support services, while the document analysis showed that parenthood-related practices already implemented at other universities may serve as references for adaptation. The integration of the findings provided the basis for five guidelines concerning work organization, equity in professional trajectories, institutional culture, support environments and structures, and governance, monitoring, and evaluation. As a methodological contribution, the study developed and applied the FMIP as a tool for assessing institutional maturity in supporting parenthood. As a practical contribution, a Technical-Technological Product was developed in the form of a guide for the development and revision of institutional policies to support faculty and administrative staff with parental responsibilities at Federal Higher Education Institutions, including tools for diagnosis, policy formulation, implementation, monitoring, evaluation, and revision. Its potential impacts depend on the adoption and implementation of the proposed measures by the institutions.