HOW CAN I HELP MY EMPLOYER BE FAMILY FRIENDLY?
Sharon Hirschy, M.S.
First Texas Council of Camp Fire
Copyright/Access Information
Over 2/3 of the nation's preschoolers have both parents in the workforce. Child care problems cause working parents to be off the job an average of eight days a year. Employers have reason to be involved in child care issues. Employee absenteeism and stress related to child care can diminish work effectiveness. Yet work environments that are family friendly and assist employees with child care concerns have proven to have lower staff turnover, fewer absences, and higher production.
Employers can be "family friendly" by:
- Offering flexible work hours, or options such as some work done at home
- Allowing generous parental leave policies and flexible benefits
- Providing lunch-time parenting seminars
- Providing resource and referral services for parents needing child care
- Offering on-site care, providing vouchers to assist parents to pay for care or subsidizing child caregiver training
- Providing financial support to efforts that further quality child care for children
- Advocating for quality care by using their lobbyists and by involving other businesses
What can you do to assist your company in becoming "family friendly"?
- Talk with the human resources director or your employer about the family friendly services being provided by the company and your child care costs and needs. You and your human resources director or fellow employees might do an informal survey of child care concerns and needs in your company.
- Discuss employee concerns and needs with your employer, and share some of the above methods on how to be more "family friendly".
Remember, many companies today do have family friendly policies and are finding them cost-effective!
This is part of a series of brochures with these titles:
Also see the National Network for Child Care web site:
http://www.nncc.org
Developed for The National Network for Child Care by The First Texas Council of Camp Fire
Sharon E. Hirschy, M.S., CFLE in cooperation with The Texas Agricultural Extension Service.
Supported by the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Cooperative Extension System's Children, Youth, and Family Network.
DOCUMENT USE/COPYRIGHT
National Network for Child Care - NNCC. Part of CYFERNET, the National Extension Service Children Youth and Family Educational Research Network. Permission is granted to reproduce these materials in whole or in part for educational purposes only(not for profit beyond the cost of reproduction) provided that the author and Network receive acknowledgment and this notice is included:
Reprinted with permission from the National Network for Child Care - NNCC.
National Network for Child Care. (1998). How can I help my employer be family friendly. NNCC-98-001
Any additions or changes to these materials must be preapproved by the author.
AVAILABLE FROM::
COPYRIGHT PERMISSION ACCESS
Iowa State University
Lesia Oesterreich
Human Development & Family Studies Extension
1086 Lebaron Hall
Iowa State University
Ames, IA 50011-4380
VOICE: 515-294-0363
FAX: 515-294-5507
E-MAIL: loesterr@iastate.edu
FORMAT AVAILABLE:: Print - 1 page
DOCUMENT REVIEW:: Level 2 - National Network for Child Care
ENTRY DATE:: May 1998
