Promoting FamilyFriendly Policies in the Workplace and Government

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Promoting Family-Friendly Policies in the
Workplace and Government
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What are family-friendly policies?

• Family-friendly workplace or employer is one
  whose policies make it possible for employees to
  more easily balance family and work
• Family-friendly government policies are those
  laws, regulations and social policies that
  recognize the importance of families to society

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Family-friendly workplace policies

• Flex-time, a flexible work schedule
• Job sharing, employees may share a single
  position, each working a fraction of the time
• Allowing work away from the worksite
• Employee and family health benefits, in addition
  to health and dental insure this may include
  on-site fitness centers or subsides for joining a
  gym
• Tuition for employee education
• Can you think of others?

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Family-friendly government policies

• There are two ways the government can be
  family-friendly
• 1. Institute family-friendly workplace policies
• 2. The government, at any level, can encourage
  family-friendly policies- by laws or other
  methods in business and public life in general

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Ways the government can encourage family-friendly
policies

• Mandating that businesses institute
  family-friendly policies
• Using tax breaks and subsides to encourage
  businesses to adopt family-friendly policies
• Funding and maintaining family-oriented public
  facilities
• Encouraging family-friendly policy among public
  agencies and services
• Mandating a health insurance plan for all
  families
• Can you think of others?

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Why promote family-friendly policies?

• Allow parents to spend more time with their
  children
• Reduce stress and allow more choices
• Employees are more productive
• Allow employees to improve their economic status
  and quality of life
• Help employers keep valuable employees, and
  recruit the best
• They are good for the society

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Who should promote family-friendly policies?

• Business people
• Politicians and other policy makers
• People affected by family-friendly policies
• The media
• A broad-based coalition

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When should you promote family-friendly policies?

• Employees and/or family members raise the issue
• Families are having a tough time
• Family issues are in the news and the public eye
• Family issues are highlighted in a political
  campaign
• During labor negotiations
• During an economic development campaign

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How do you promote family-friendly policies in
the government and workplace?

• Decide where to start, aim for fairness in your
  purpose what's the greatest benefit for everyone
• Do your homework
• Particular needs of your community
• Policies that have been implemented elsewhere and
  their results
• Potential costs and benefits
• Alternatives to what you're initially proposing
• Offer to help find solutions that work
• Point to and reward those workplaces and
  government agencies who support and engage in
  family-friendly practices
• Frame the debate as a win-win situation,
  emphasize the fact that family-friendly policies
  are good for everyone

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How do you promote family-friendly policies in
the government and workplace (cont.) ?

• Marshall support and communicate
• If you can put together a coalition, and look to
  gaining the support of other influential groups
• Unions and other trade associations
• Working families
• Businesses and business associations
• Policy makers
• The media
• Advocate for family-friendly policies in ways
  that are appropriate to the situation, some
  possible ways may include
• Union negotiations
• Legislative advocacy
• A media campaign
• Direct action
• Encourage the continued evaluation and adaptation
  of policies