Making your business family friendly

Written by Natalie Wednesday, 04 January 2012 16:01

We all know that achieving the right balance between work life and family life is essential and there is no doubt that the way we organise our working day is key to making this balance a success. Supporting your workforce to manage their work-life balance is a positive step for all business whether large, medium or small.

In this article you will find:

Offering family friendly practices such as flexible working, having childcare on site, childcare vouchers, etc, is proven to lead to favorable staff recruitment and retention, increased motivation, lower absenteeism and increased levels of contentment within your workforce. Such practices benefit employees and employers alike.

Work-life balance is not just about childcare, it is about striking the right balance between what we achieve at work and at home and being fresh enough to give our best in all the areas of our lives.

Some employers offer flexibility in working patterns and for others it's about providing flexible benefits – such as childcare information and some employers may support their workforce by introducing a Childcare Voucher scheme.

Providing childcare information is a low cost option, which will take up little management time, yet providing up to date and accessible information on childcare is one of the most useful ways that employers can support their staff to meet their childcare needs. You may even like to name a person within your organisation who could act as a "Family Information Service Champion" liaising between your employees who will be able to signpost parents to the Family Information Service or advocate on behalf parents.

You could sponsor a childcare place with a local registered provider on behalf of an employee, through a salary sacrifice scheme. You could pay for a full-time or part-time place with a local day nursery or childminder this could also provide emergency back up if the employees normal childcare arrangements fail. Some businesses even sponsor local childcare providers with a small grant every year.

The Family Information Service (FIS) offers free impartial, information, advice and guidance on the whole range of children's services and how to choose childcare provision. FIS also offer financial help and advice with childcare costs. Childcare may seem costly at first but most families are entitled to some financial help. FIS offer information about child tax credits, working tax credits, the childcare element of the working tax credits and free Early Years Education and Flying Start places.

If you would like to distribute our leaflets with your pay slips and job application packs, or if you would just like to discuss these ideas further, please contact the service and we will be pleased to help.

Caerphilly Family Information Service (01443) 86 32 32