Families, the workforce, and ways of doing business have all changed.  Economic and social changes over the past 20 years mean that most parents are struggling as never before to juggle jobs, household work, and family life.  The workplace is experiencing significant changes that impact upon families.  Globalization, technology, fierce competition, and the speed of change are causing massive restructuring of the workplace.

Family-friendly workplace practices provide a competitive way for organizations to meet business needs, and to help employees balance their work and personal lives.  With an imminent labour shortage, business needs to acknowledge employees' complicated lives in order to attract and retain workers.  For workers in the next decade, it is critical for career and job satisfaction to balance their work and personal lives.

If you are thinking about starting, or improving a family-friendly workplace program, congratulations!  The fact that you have started to think of doing something, is the first step toward implementing change within your organization.  You are moving along the Work-Life Continuum.  (For more information, see the Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC) web site: http://www.sdc.gc.ca/en/lp/spila/wlb/01home.shtml

Your next step is to build commitment within your organization to pursue work-life balance.  It is essential for key decision-makers within your organization to understand, support, and be role models for family-friendly workplace practices to the organization and employees.

You will then need to determine where you would like your organization to be, and develop a strategic work plan to achieve that objective.

Assessment Tools

Before you are able to build a plan, you may need to collect information from employees in your organization to determine their need for work-life balance.  Survey and focus groups are common ways to assess the need for strategies or programs within your workplace.

This is a task that is often implemented through Human Resources departments.  Consultants are also available to assist you in benchmarking, and developing and implementing surveys.  Call the Peterborough County-City Health Unit for sample tools and surveys, 743-1000.  Ask for Judy Stanley, Public Health Nurse.

If you have developed or implemented a benchmarking tool or survey, and would be willing to share your experience or tools with other workplaces, we also want to hear from you!
 

"What families need to stay healthy, is what business needs to be productive." Department of Productivity, Labour and Relations, Australia.

Resources and Services

Health and Safety of the Pregnant Worker

What Can You Do To Prevent Harm?

What Can You Do To Manage Risk?

What Can A Pregnant Woman Do To Decrease The Risk To Herself And Her Baby? 

What Can Employers Do To Promote A Safe Work Place for Pregnant Women?

How To Be A Pregnancy-Friendly Workplace.

How To Be A Pregnancy-Friendly Workplace

Parental Leave Works for Business Too

The Family STRESS Test