Family-friendly policies at workplace level
A family-friendly workplace is one where employees feel that they are supported in meeting both their work commitments and outside work responsibilities, and where the employer accepts that such responsibilities can have an impact on employees' working lives and is prepared to accommodate these responsibilities whenever possible. An employer can promote a family- friendly workplace by implementing policies such as flexible work arrangements, child care and elder care, which help staff to balance their work and outside work responsibilities. Being a family-friendly organization goes beyond being just child-or women-friendly, and under the wider "work-life" concept, many employers now recognize the importance of making family-friendly agreements available to all employees, not just those with care responsibilities.
Implementing family-friendly policies is a business strategy with a dual agenda of creating a win-win situation, achieving both organizational effectiveness and employee well-being. For the staff, family-friendly initiatives increase employee satisfaction, commitment, loyalty and morale, and contribute to a more supportive and positive working environment. For the employer, improved productivity, reduced absenteeism and staff turnover are among the most important benefits. By helping the organization to attract, recruit and retain staff, family-friendly practices can reduce the costs associated with the replacement of leavers.
Being "family-friendly" is more than having a set of practices recorded in the organization's rules and regulations: having a commitment underlying these practices and a work culture supporting the values of work-life balance, and encouraging the use of the practices, becomes critical when successfully putting family-friendly policies into practice. For more information, see Information Sheet No.3 on the “family-friendly” workplace.
There is less information on family-friendly arrangements and their impact in developing and transitional countries. Any researchers, trade unions or employers with concrete experience to share are encouraged to get in touch with us.
