Getting Started Guide

Below are recommended steps to begin adopting family friendly changes in your workplace. Having a plan will increase your success.

Complete The Best Place for Working Parents® Assessment

A designated company representative who has knowledge of company benefits and policies is best suited to complete the assessment. The Best Place for Working Parents™ assessment evaluates 10 research-backed policies that are proven to benefit working parents and businesses’ bottom line.

Pull together your Team

A representative team or task force will provide more complete information and will help create buy-in. The team should be representative of your current workforce, including those you seek to support, and those you want to recruit. Survey employees about their challenges and what would help them.

Review Results & Determine your Goal 

Review Assessment and survey results. It is up to each organization to determine a goal that values employees and their families and is grounded in business strategy and business requirements. Secure buy in from senior decision makers.

Research Possible Solutions and Actions 

Prioritize issues and research possible solutions. The Biz4Kids resources and quarterly employer roundtables are a starting point to explore options in more depth. Learn from others doing this work.

Create a Plan 

Agree on what to implement and create a realistic timeline that focuses on high priorities and low-hanging fruit. Consider categorizing recommendations into a cost/impact grid. The low-cost high-impact recommendations are likely to come first, while high-cost low-impact ideas may be tabled as unattainable.

Communicate and Publicize

The implementation plan will need to include steps for proactively communicating to employees and decision makers. A new benefit or policy can only be utilized and enjoyed if your employees know about it.

Implement and Evaluate  

Build evaluation measurements into your implementation plan. Monitoring and periodic evaluation provide an opportunity to tailor a policy or program and gives you the greatest chance for sustained success and the most ROI.

Celebrate and Share Successes

Communicate and celebrate your successes within your organization. Share the strategies that worked with other interested organizations. Promote your family-friendly status to potential workers and the community. 

Source: Information adopted from Getting Started with family friendly Austin, Early Matters Greater Austin