Top Employers for Working Families A-Z list and Awards 2010 - the winners are announced.

19th October 2010:   The A-Z List and Award winners have now been announced. Click here for full details.

Purchase your copy of the full Top Employers for Working Families Benchmarking Report.  Click here.

Read the full list of finalists for the 2010 Top Employers for Working Families Awards - click here for full details

Top Employers for Working Families A-Z List and Awards

What makes a Top Employer?

Our awards are for employers who have a track record of being family-friendly, and who recognise that  family friendly working isn’t just about flexible working. It includes other elements like childcare, employee support and wellbeing too.To be a Top 20 employer organsiations need to  demonstrate the practical application of a family friendly approach to employment. Policy is not enough. To get family-friendly working to take off in an organisation it is necessary to really embed it in the culture. Some of the characteristics of a Top Employer will include:

Champions. High profile people, at the top, demonstrating their commitment to flexibility is key. Backing it up with actions, not words is important.

Showing that flexibility is no impediment to success is vital. The example of people rising through the organisation while still working flexibly is a convincing reply to the fears that may be harboured about career damage. Previous succesful Top Employers proactively monitor the career path of flexible workers so they can see if there are barriers, and if there are, what they can do about them.

Recruitment and retention is still a core driver for family friendly working (although temporarily falling from the top of employer agendas as the recession bites) but as this approach to employment matures, leading organisations are identifying additional benefits.

Increased emphasis on wellbeing. This is at the heart of a business case which argues that happier employees with a good work-life balance will be more motivated and perform at a higher level, as well as reducing stress related and sickness absence.

Eldercare and retirement is recognised as an area of family friendly working which is going to be of growing importance. Allying policies with business performance in terms of retention of knowledge and skills is key.

Engagement with employees is increasingly a characteristic of family friendly employers. This means working with people to identify and develop family friendly practices, and also align flexibility with an understanding of organisational needs.

Measurement is also vital. Organisations who monitor and measure the deployment of flexible working and its effects are best placed to argue its benefits and ensure that family friendly programmes are successful.

Men are one group many of these organisations are interested in measuring and monitoring. As more men take up flexible options these employers are able to identify clear signs that family friendly really is expanding beyond the traditional group of mothers with young children.

Find out more about the Top Employers for Working Families A-Z list and awards at www.topemployersforworkingfamilies.org.uk