I have recently started working at Health Purchasing Victoria. Having left the ranks of the permanent full-time workforce after having our first child and not being allowed flexibility in terms of hours or responsibilities, I had worked very flexibly from home for five years. I will admit that I was concerned about the effect returning to an in-office situation was going to have on my family. I have been pleasantly surprised as I have come to realise that HPV proactively encourages a family friendly ethos and has a story that should encourage other employers to do the same.

The key to creating a family friendly workplace is directly related to the use of creativity and the ability to, where a role permits, offer flexibility around where work is done and in the support for family related issues that intersect with the workplace. It is this willingness to be creative, to find solutions that suit all parties and to overcome the “If you aren’t here, how do we know what you are doing?” mentality that sets HPV apart.

Changes in our society mean more workers have family and caring responsibilities. Almost half of working Victorians care for dependent children or other family members. Smart employers are responding to these changes by helping employees to balance their family responsibilities. Those like HPV are realising that one of the ways to attract and retain the best staff is to offer, on an individual basis, family flexible arrangements.

Last week, around 300 delegates from all major Australian industries and employer groups attended the DEEWR Family Friendly Workplaces Seminar. Among the points discussed were:

• Knowledge to design flexible roles
• Training for management on how to manage a flexible workforce
• Designing specific employee programs for attraction and retention purposes

By taking a creative approach to all of the above points coupled with a large dose of managerial empathy, HPV‘s family friendly approach enables employees to start to find the work-life balance that is so elusive in this day and age. We know that working school hours is possible, leaving if a family member is ill is encouraged, working from home to share child care is  supported and that when life happens, work copes. 

In the coming weeks, HPV staff will be participating in a series of workshops aimed at helping them to create and implement Work/Life/Health plans and will be involved in activities for National Families Week commencing 15 May.

For more information about Families Week go to http://www.familiesaustralia.org.au/familiesweek/

For more information about how employers and employees can manage work and family life go to http://ways2work.business.vic.gov.au/home.