5 Signs of a Family Friendly Company
Know If a Company Will Help Balance Work and Home Life
Sep 18, 2008
First, what is a family friendly company? Put simply, it is an organization that helps its employees manage the demands of both work and home. It can be a huge corporation or a small mom and pop start up. What matters more is whether the company truly recognizes the needs of its employees and addresses them in a relevant way.
Who Needs a Family Friendly Company?
All employees benefit when a company addresses their needs. In years past, “family friendly” was used to mean it was for working moms. Early programs like job sharing and the “Mommy Track” were geared toward women who wanted to be part of the professional world, but also be with their children. (While these jobs allowed women to work on a reduced schedule, the women found that their career progression derailed.)
Now, however, an increasing number of male and female employees require time for child and/or elder care.
Beyond needing time for care giving, a new entry into the workforce takes a different view of the employee/employer relationship, said Pamela Stone, author of Opting Out? Why Women Really Quit Careers and Head Home.
Generation X and Y employees are seeking a more egalitarian relationship with their employees, she said in a speech hosted by Carolina Parent magazine. This new group of employees wants to establish a balance so they can enjoy their leisure time as well.
So whether you want to spend more time with a preschooler, take care of a sick parent, or have time to scuba dive, finding a company that respects your priorities is important. Here are the key questions to ask.
What Health Benefits are Offered?
Does the company offer medical, dental and vision benefits? What about wellness? A small company may not be able to afford to build a state of the art fitness facility on its premises, but it probably can offer a YMCA membership. Are there childcare resources? What about elder care? Having these benefits is an indication that the company recognizes you’ve got other concerns, and wants to help you.
Are Flexible Schedules Offered And Used?
Look for telecommuting, flex time, job sharing or compressed workweeks. This is a tricky one, because while companies may offer these benefits, the culture may still be one where no one dares to use them. So your next question would be: are they used? By how many people? In what positions?
Carolina Parent magazine recently named The Environmental Protection Agency one of the state’s most family friendly organizations in part because their flexible work options are used by more than 80% of the staff.
Does the Company Offer Individual Solutions?
Flexible schedules are great, but you may need something that is outside of the regular parameters. Will your company work with you to tailor a solution for you? Is this the norm, or is it a hush hush deal? Consistently working with employees to find solutions that address individual issues is an excellent sign of a family friendly company.
Is the Culture Results Oriented?
Is the emphasis on results or on time spent in the office? If everyone waits until the boss leaves before they go home, the emphasis is on “face time,” Pamela Stone said. If, instead, your performance is based on your results, where and how long you work isn’t as important.
Can Your Career Still Advance?
If you begin a flexible work schedule, can you still progress up the ladder at the same pace as someone who works a traditional schedule? This is the true test of a family friendly business.
By looking at these five areas of what a company says it offers, really offers and what happens to employees who accept those offers, you can get a good idea if a prospective company will truly value you and your work life balance.
Source:
Stone, Pamela. Opting Out?: Why Women Really Quit Careers and Head Home. University of California Press. 2007.
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