The successful combination of work and family in Finland: The ability to compromise as a key factor

This article focuses on the success at work from the family’s point of view. This article is based on two researches in Finland: one that concentrated on marital success (N= 342 married couples) and the other one in which the employees of the year (N=8) described their solutions to combine work and family successfully. By uniting these two perspectives, the purpose is to give a unique description of how both the family and work roles can be combined in order to enhance succeeding both at work and in family life. This article answers to the following questions: 1) In what way is it possible to combine work and family successfully? 1.1) according to the long and happily married couples? 1.2) according to the employees of the year? Based on these researches, the ability to compromise satisfactorily was the linking factor between these life dimensions. The participants that had succeeded at work and in family life had found a balance between work and family satisfying to both of the spouses. This article is of topical concern as the current tendency of the demands on effectiveness and development at work due to changes in work life have been increasing and at the same time, the family values are becoming more and more appreciated.