Family friendly workplaces        

At Jobs for Mums we think it's important to recognise employers who adjust their workplace policies to reflect a work /family balance. Of course the benefits of doing this are far reaching for businesses - happy and more productive employees, and the choice of more highly skilled candidates if you looking to fill a role.

Family friendly employers are defined by their character when managing and valuing their staff. They offer employees (both men and women) working arrangements and support services providing more flexibility and work life balance for their employees. 

So does your organisation offer family friendly practices? Read the list of family friendly characteristics and rate yourself.

• Flexible working hours that include negotiable start and finish times, days of work
• Part time and job sharing opportunities
• Provide paid parental leave
• Offer a childcare subsidy; on site care facility or vacation care  
• Allow employees to work core or shift hours to suit their family situation
• Offer work-from-home arrangements
• Provide return-to-work support and training for employees eg: allow 'phased–in' approach to  return to work
• Provide career mentoring and coaching to retain valuable employees
• Provide employees with more annual leave than the average 4 weeks and additional carer’s leave
• Actively promote work life balance through company policies eg: restricted meetings no start before 9am or after 4pm
• Provide employees with period of unpaid ‘sabbatical’ leave
• Allow parents can bring children to work in emergencies or subsidise the cost of an emergency carer
• Offer shorter, compressed working week
• Offer access to an employee assistance program
• Provide on-site or subsidise health and recreational activities for employees
• Allow employees to extend their parental leave
  

If you feel you are falling short of these ideals, NOW is the time to think about which of these ideas you could begin to offer your staff. You may find that in offering these perks and benefits, you will be able to reduce the salary offered for the position and still attract and retain better staff than before.

If you've done this, let us know. We’d love to hear your employees sing your praises, and we’ll publish it next to your ad!

If you feel you are falling short of these ideals, NOW is the time to think about which of these ideas you could begin to offer your staff. You may find that in offering these perks and benefits, you will be able to reduce the salary offered for the position and still attract and retain better staff than before.

If you've done this, let us know. We’d love to hear your employees sing your praises, and we’ll publish it next to your ad!

Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency (EOWA)

JFM supports the following

EOWA Employer of Choice for Women

Women-friendly organisations with equal opportunity programs that recognise and advance their female workforce can brand and position themselves in the marketplace as an 'EOWA Employer of Choice for Women' (EOCFW). This prestigious citation provides significant positioning in a competitive marketplace, particularly when a company is seeking to attract the best possible talent.

EEO Trust – supporting versatile workplaces

The Equal Employment Opportunities (EEO) Trust is a not-for-profit organisation that provides employers with information and tools on EEO issues and raises awareness of the benefits of a diverse workforce. It works in partnership with employers to help them achieve success through effectively managing diversity and supporting work-life balance.

By practising the principles of EEO, workplaces can:

• improve their effectiveness,
• recruit from  the biggest possible pool of talent and
• enable the people they employ to contribute their full potential.
  

The EEO Trust works alongside employers, helping them assess and improve their recruitment processes and overcome any obstacles that may inhibit them from employing a diverse range of staff.

The EEO Employers Group was established in 1997 and has nearly 400 members who wish to demonstrate their commitment to valuing and rewarding fairly the talent of the diverse people they employ.

Members can access a range of benefits including:

• The latest national and international benchmarking data on EEO/diversity issues
• Tailor-made information on request
• Members' briefings and workshops
• Support in developing EEO strategies, goals and performance measures, recruitment practices
• Peer and public recognition of  commitment to EEO
• Monthly email updates on current EEO/diversity issues
• Opportunity to be profiled in EEO Trust publications and in articles for the general media
• Access to EEO library
  

www.eeotrust.org.nz