European countries have adopted family friendly regulations that allow for generous parental leave for men and women, flexibility in working hours, and a general atmosphere of tolerance for the demands on working parents. While these family friendly programs are far more advanced than those in the US, they tend to come by legislation rather than by company initiative. However, in an effort to help companies shift to embracing family friend policies, European companies are now looking at a unique American creation, Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day. The Ms. Foundation who started the concept is happy to have it expand to overseas but notes its main focus is still on the U.S.
See "The Workplace: Hearing tomorrow's workers", Anne Bagamery, International Herald Tribune, April 13, 2004