In Northern Italy, part time job It is still a predominantly phenomenon female. In Trentino, for every man who works part-time there are 8 women in the same situation, and the situation does not improve much in South Tyrol, Veneto e LombardiaThe comparison with the Nordic countries is merciless: in Estonia, for example, the ratio is 2 women for every man. In short, part-time work in Italy seems like a "pink hat" that many women are forced to wear, with Over 520 million female working hours lost every year. A huge waste of talent that slows down the growth of the country.
This is what emerges from a note from the North East Foundation.
The gender gap: Northern Italy lags behind
In 2023, in Northern Italy, for every man who works part-time, there are approximately 6 women in the same condition. The regions with the highest gap are Trentino (8,3 women per man), theSouth Tyrol (7) and the Veneto (6,9), followed by Lombardia (6) and Valle d'Aosta (5,8)
The differences with Northern Europe are enormous. In Estonia the ratio is 2 women for every man, in Sweden of 2,4 and in Denmark of 2,5. To align with Estonian standards, Trentino should reduce the gap by 6,3 points, Alto Adige by 5 and Veneto by 4,9. Gender equity policies and a better work-life balance are needed to close this gap.
Have we made progress in the last 10 years?
In last ten years there have been some improvements, but no revolution. In Alto Adige, for example, the gap has dropped from 8,7 to 7, while in Friuli-Venezia Giulia from 6,5 to 5,3. However, some regions have seen a worsening: Trentino went from 6,9 to 8,3, the Liguria recorded an increase of 1,1% and the Lombardia an increase of one point. Overall, in the North-West there was an increase in female part-time, going from 4,8% to 5,5%, with an increase of 0,7 points. In the North-East there was also a slight increase (0,3 points), but the situation remains worrying.
Part-time: Too Often It's Not a Choice
While part-time work can be an opportunity to balance work and family, for many women it is a mandatory condition more than a choice. The lack of full-time options limits professional growth, income, and personal fulfillment.
The regions with the highest percentage of involuntary part-time female are Liguria (16,8%), followed by Piedmont (14,5%). In the North-West, involuntary part-time work for women is 13,8%, compared to 3,4% for men. In the North-East regions, the situation is less serious: in Trentino the gap is 12,7% against 2,6% for men, while in Veneto it stands at 11,9% against 2,5%, up to Alto Adige with only 5,7%. The North-East has a rate of involuntary part-time work for women of 11,7%, against 2,8% for men.
The Waste of Female Talent: A Hinderance to Growth
Involuntary part-time work for women represents a huge loss of working hours and human capital. In Lombardy, almost 194 million hours of female work are wasted each year, in Veneto and Piedmont over 86 million each. Overall, in Northern Italy, every year over 520 million hours of female work, compared to "only" 156 million hours lost by men. This waste of resources not only slows economic growth, but also threatens the competitiveness of regions, which risk losing talent to other areas with better job opportunities.
The underutilization of women's skills is not only an equity issue, but also an economic problem. Investing in policies that incentivize full-time employment for women could unlock enormous potential, with positive effects on growth, occupation e competitiveness of the country.
