Family-Friendly Practices at Workplaces How to do it?

Transcription

1 Family-Friendly Practices at Workplaces How to do it? Employers Forum, Helsinki, 9th Sept 2014 M.Soc.Sc. Anna Kokko Leading specialist The Family Federation of Finland

2 There are many questions: - What is a family? (different kinds of family configurations) - Who has the family? - What is the role of family ties? MAIN QUESTION: How to make development of family-friendliness at the workplace as simple and accessible as possible?

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4 Legislation Laws: concerning work, family leaves etc. Managers/ foremen: How do they act and react HR-policies resources (e.g. enough staff) guidelines and rules at the workplace well-being at work Employer s responsibilities, rights, obligations Employee in his/her life situation Employee s tasks, rights, obligations Collective agreements (negotiated between employers and employees organisations) Workplace agreements and work contracts

5 Features of Family-Friendliness at Workplace: OPPORTUNITIES TO BE FLEXIBLE AND INFLUENCE - worktimes, workshifts, place of work - flexibility in different situations GOOD ARRANGEMENTS IN DIFFERENT SITUATIONS - sudden absence because of family reasons - typical and usual situations (which should not be surprising; e.g. small child sometimes becomes sick) - continuing/special situations GUIDELINES AND GENERAL & SPECIFIC RULES - laws and collective agreements - workplace specific instructions Anna Kokko 2014

6 How Family-Friendliness Develops in a Company or Working Community: Information concerning family-friendliness is needed and collected. Some family-friendly arrangements are used, new kind of attitude is created. Good family-friendly practices are an integral and essential part of the everyday life and working culture at the workplace. (Galinsky & Dulk 2001, Kokko 2012)

7 Family-Friendly Practices at Workplace ( ) Co-operation between NGO and business actors (two companies) Co-operation between NGO, governmental organizations and occupational heath care agents in the field of family and work questions Co-operation between different specialists (law, HR etc.) E.g. Finnish Institute of Occupational Health (TTL) National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) Ministry of Social Affairs and Health Main coordinator: Väestöliitto (Family Federation of Finland) Project Manager: Anna Kokko Co-operation with different agents in business, governmental organizations etc. was efficient in this project. Anna Kokko, 9th Sept 2014

8 Concrete changes/ Better Work-Life balance Case example, FLEXIBILITY: - Increased flexibility regarding working times and work-time arrangements. - More flexibility in beginning and end of a workday based on individual needs. POSSIBILITIES TO INFLUENCE: - The possibility to work part-time was introduced (fulltime employment is the norm in Finnish society). - Possibility to (regularly) work one day-shift instead of two shifts one year period/various workers. BONUS PAY to free time: possibility to change vacation bonus pay to additional vacation days. (Based on Finnish labour law and collective labour market agreements). HOLIDAYS: - Vacation period was condensed to fewer months (core summer months in Finland) - Vacation could be split to several blocks; this led to more child-friendly, family-friendly and fair treatment. At least one period is at the same time as kid s vacation (from school/ day care). TRAINING: - Managers were trained in collective labour market agreements, family leaves and operative use of flexibilities. new (often quite young) managers need often special training open communication and the ability to handle questions of work & family reconciliation in a constructive manner were encouraged in the organisation.

9 Achievements of the Development Project (in general and in the company) more awareness of the different means to promote familyfriendliness inside the company (= practical level) public awareness of the benefits that occur employers because of the good family-friendly practices at the workplace (the measures were tested and applied in the pilot company) less extra sick leaves (in the company A) due to good practices more information and new attitude (in the company A): intranet/website), new arrangements and instructions more satisfaction (both managers and staff) + the other partner (company B) helped in creating the new webpage for HR and managers + supported workshops in client companies.

10 New Practical Tools for Workplaces 1. Personnel survey: Balancing work and family life - aimed at both employees and managers (all personnel) - initial survey follow-up survey (electronic, both structured and open questions) - reporting and recommendation of action: development process/steps 2. New Website: The Family-Friendly Workplace Read more: In Finnish (large version) In English (short version) 3. Training - managers, especially new managers (legislation, parental leaves, different situations/solutions etc.)

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12 The Family-Friendly Workplace projects: Väestöliitto Flexible Working Times at Family-Friendly Workplaces (pilot project) The Family-Friendly Workplace ( ) Co-operation between NGO and: - business actors (two large companies) - researchers and specialists (legislation, HR etc.) - governmental organisations and occupational heath care agents Executive Board of the project including e.g. members from different employers ja employees organisations Working Family-Friendly ( ) 6 large family organisations, employers and employees organisations, companies and working communities campaigns, policy initiatives, certificate for companies etc.

13 Conclusions: The responsibility for functioning family-friendly practices is shared with both employers and employees. Laws and collective agreements are not alone enough to guarantee a family-friendly workplace. More detailed instructions and specific rules are often needed at the workplace. Alongside instructions and individual solutions there is a need for balance and fairness in the treatment of all personnel.

14 Thank you! Anna Kokko Leading specialist Tel:

15 Situations at Work in Finland: My child (over 10 years old) is sick: Do I have to use my holidays to be able to stay at home? A father would like to visit the maternity clinic with his spouse: Is that possible? How many times during the pregnancy? Is it paid or unpaid time? Working part-time: How to support part-time arrangements? Is it just same amount of work with less salary? (E.g.: Two 6-hour-workers in the same team.) Anna Kokko, 9th Sept 2014

16 What is the Problem? There are many aspects historical social and sociatal structural cultural and individual in reconciling work and family life. Anna Kokko, 9th Sept 2014

17 Themes of the personnel survey: experiences concerning the reconciliation of work and family life flexibility of working time: needs and reality experiences and challenges of managers developmental needs and ideas: employees open answers

18 What Is Important in the Development Project: The results of the personnel survey are an excellent starting point in the beginning of the changes in the company The head of the company has to be motivated to make changes or: at least there are enthusiastic people who have the status and power to start to make the changes Concrete steps are taken and reported = that some improvements really occur during the development process Large scale and usefulness: 1) results are living also after the end of the project, good practices are spread overall inside the company and other companies, too. 2) Media intensively raised the topic during in Finland.