Working Families launches its annual search for the leaders of the pack in flexible and agile workplaces. Top-scoring benchmark entrants will be announced as the Top Employers for Working Families 2017. Comment from Kirstie Axtens, Head of Employer Services at Working Families.
Working Families’ benchmark for employers opens for entries today. This unique and comprehensive tool assesses all aspects of flexible working and work life policies and practice, and how these are integrated into an organisation’s values and culture. It is designed to identify the lived experience of employees and to provide a platform for organisations that genuinely want to move onto the next level in their people strategy. Employers compete annually to gain a much-coveted place in the list of Top 10 Employers for Working Families which is announced during National Work Life Week.
The benchmark celebrates the achievements of employers who are building agile, flexible and family friendly workplaces. Participants can compare their progress with their peers and assess whether they are ahead or behind the curve in the development of flexible and family friendly working for all their people. There is a clear business case for creating flexible and family friendly workplaces. Six out of ten working parents are more likely to stay with their employer if they’re flexible, and more than half believe flexibility increases motivation and productivity. Half of working parents would ‘go the extra mile’ at work for a flexible and family friendly employer.
Kirstie Axtens, Head of Employer Services at Working Families said: ”The Top Employers for Working Families Benchmark is unique. It looks at integrating agility and work life policies and practices into strategy, senior buy in, how to communicate for maximum effect, and how to monitor, measure and gauge impact. It will help employers identify the progress they’ve made and pinpoint the next steps to make sure culture and policies marry up into a lived experience for employees. “Taking part in the benchmark is for organisations who want to progress on their journey to being the best – for people, and for productivity.”
Read what last year’s Top 10 Employers for Working Families say: “The Working Families Benchmark is an excellent opportunity to measure MoJ against other organisations across both the public and private sector – to celebrate what we do well, but also to learn from good practice elsewhere. Being named last year as a Top 10 Employer was a great achievement. MoJ is proud to be at the forefront of this agenda to deliver better work life integration: this enhances staff engagement and wellbeing, and generates significant business benefits.” Tabitha Brufal, Ministry of Justice Carers Champion: “We strive to be the best employer we can be. Entering the Top Employers for Working Families benchmark has been useful to check we’re keeping pace with what other companies are doing.
It has also provided us with ideas on what more we can do to support our staff. Being a family-friendly employer is an important part of our culture as it has helped not only attract but also retain good staff. We support our staff through their careers offering flexibility to balance their work and home lives. In return their commitment and contribution is invaluable and enables us to grow and develop the care and support we provide for vulnerable people across Sussex.” Janet Casserley, HR Manager at Southdown Housing Association. The closing date for submissions who want to be considered for inclusion in the Top 30 list of Employers is 31st July 2017.
