1998 Work & Family Awards Winners
The following are profiles of the winners of the 1998 EEO Trust Work and Family Awards. These are excerpts from the booklet 'New Zealand's Best Employers in Work & Family'.
Large Organisations Award
Winner
Coopers & Lybrand
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Coopers & Lybrand is a leading accounting, business advisory and management consultancy services firm which employs 750 staff nationally - 305 of which are based in Auckland.
When the company found that over 50% of recent graduate recruits were women, it saw a critical need to focus on related progression and retention issues. Research shows that many women leave large accounting firms before they achieve their career potential often because they believe it is not compatible with having a family life. Their experience of large firm cultures was of inflexibility and a male dominated environment.
But some major initiatives introduced in the last 18 months at Coopers & Lybrand initially by two senior women staff members, have shown the firm is just the opposite. With strong senior management support and wide staff participation the importance of work and family balance is now being recognised throughout the firm.
Responsibility for progressing the initiatives has now been assumed by a wider core group of women who meet regularly, working in conjunction with the Human Resources team and the Social club.
A specific programme called 'Women Who Count' (WWC) has been developed to provide support networks, develop internal and client contacts, meet training and development needs and investigate work and family initiatives.
Other aspects of Coopers and Lybrand's work and family initiatives include:
- parental leave and special leave provisions which offer staff greater benefits than those required by legislation
- flexible working practices, including part time working, compressed work weeks, job-sharing and teleworking
- family friendly facilities including a room for breastfeeding and expressing milk (an example of the firm's supportive culture was shown in a case where expressed breast milk from a staff member at a client site was sent by courier to her baby
- designated carparks for pregnant staff members and those returning from parental leave who bring babies into the city;
- information and support initiatives including an in-house database on family related topics such as childcare, school holiday programmes eldercare etc; ongoing training for staff, social functions and a regular newsletter
Coopers & Lybrand's goals for the future centre on building on the information and networks that are now in place and working actively to remove the barriers that inhibit the genuine achievement of a work and family balance. The firm recognises the process is ongoing and says it makes good business sense to invest in working with staff to create an environment that works for everyone. 'There are no prizes awarded for high staff turnover and the costs associated with recruiting and training new staff are significant.'
Judges' Comments:
Coopers & Lybrand's entry is impressive in its explicit determination to tackle the issue of workplace culture as well as policy development. Many high quality work and family initiatives have foundered when a hostile work culture contradicts espoused policy.
This entry shows how effective work and family strategies are integrated within a broader understanding of EEO and valuing diversity. While the initiatives arose from the need to retain women, the policies and practices which have evolved extend to men with family responsibilities as well.
Evidence of senior commitment from Peter Scott, Managing Partner added weight to this entry. His comment 'we need to change, we want to change, we would like your help to change. It makes good business sense and we will all win - clients, you as individuals and the firm'...was reported by staff as aiding the success of the project.
The fact that staff were overwhelmingly positive about workplace support in many situations such bereavement, relocation assistance, the birth or illness of a child - also added weight to this entry. Staff expressed their willingness to 'go the extra mile' in their work.
Beginners Award
Winner
Radio New Zealand
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Radio New Zealand is a Crown owned entity which provides public broadcasting services nation-wide and currently employs 270 people.
In June 1997 Radio New Zealand created a temporary human resources position for a project called'Valuing Diversity' to develop its equal employment opportunities policy. It identified barriers within the company which prevented staff from achieving their potential and found a significant number of staff were concerned about family friendly practices.
As a result, and with clear management support, a family friendly workplace policy, plan and implementation goals were developed as part of broader EEO initiatives. Senior managers and staff were trained in EEO and all staff were surveyed via questionnaire. There was wide and open consultation with extensive employee participation and consultation before a final EEO family friendly policy was endorsed by the senior management team, and objectives were implemented.
Radio New Zealand has moved quickly to address work and family issues in a practical way - even simple initiatives like providing a high chair in the staff cafeteria became an interesting exercise when it was found that NZ furniture does not require compulsory labelling of safety checks and so an overseas made highchair was purchased.
Other ideas which have been adopted by Radio New Zealand include:
- a Family Friendly Booklet distributed to all staff outlining family friendly and support services available. All new staff are asked if they have any specific family friendly needs.
- an extensive dependant needs directory which contains information on resources and support for those who care for children, teenagers, elderly people or partners
- a school holiday programme for children of staff member has been developed in association with other local businesses. Also guidelines on how staff are to receive messages from family members are being worked on and staff will be asked what sort of family events they would like to have.
- monitoring and evaluation processes are being developed to determine if the new family friendly policies are achieving their goal. Staff are to be consulted through an annual equity survey which will seek to identify any additional barriers and possible solutions.
- an explicitly broad definition of 'family' has been used to reflect New Zealand's cultural diversity and range of social structures and family types. Radio New Zealand defines family as including 'blood family', extended family and 'created' family including de facto and gay relationships and members of households.
Radio New Zealand recognises that, whatever the family type, the need to achieve a balance between family and paid work responsibilities often creates stress which can have an adverse impact both on work performance and on relationships at home.
The rationale behind the introduction of its new practices has been Radio New Zealand's belief in the genuine benefits of having systems in place which help staff to combine these responsibilities. Radio New Zealand sees it as a win-win situation where employees, their family members and the company are advantaged.
For further information please contact:
Judges' Comments:
Radio New Zealand is an inspiring example of how much can be achieved by a 'beginner'. Noteworthy aspects of the entry included:
- senior commitment to resourcing the development of these initiatives
- extensive staff consultation and involvement
- explicitly inclusive definition of family and attention to a range of family stages and needs
- a mix of longer term and short term actions
- a commitment to monitoring progress against objectives in the plan and through the use of pilots such as flexible sick and family leave
- commitment by staff including management to work and family initiatives in a challenging environment with varying levels of staff morale.
Walk the Talk
Joint Winners
Rob Borgers and Bruce Henry Wheeler, Campbell Consulting Ltd
Ross Gillett, Department of Social Welfare
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Rob Borgers and Bruce Henry are Directors and Principals of Wheeler Campbell Consulting Ltd, a Wellington-based recruitment and human resources company. They founded the business four and a half years ago, and since then it has grown to 18 staff. One of the major motivators in setting up the company was the desire to allow themselves and staff to have an ongoing balance between their personal and professional lives. Both Rob and Bruce found that previous organisations they had worked in had neither valued nor recognised the important obligations they had to share their lives with children and partners. They also firmly believe that society as a whole benefits from its members having a more balanced lifestyle and that families need to be together regularly to function effectively.
Rob and Bruce model these values in the workplace. Bruce regularly works from home one day a week. At least one other staff member does so also. Both men take time off work to care for sick children or partners at home. Other staff are encouraged to share rather than shirk family responsibilities and report explicit reminders from Rob and Bruce and other colleagues about their family obligations. Neither works excessive hours, nor do they expect their staff to do so. Staff members who have long hours in peak times are expected to take time off to re-balance.
An awareness of family is shown in the inclusion of a family perspective in the company's civil defence and disaster recovery plan. Verifying the well being of family in a disaster is assumed in the plan as is the impact on family if staff were to be relocated to work from home in a crisis.
Flexible hours are the norm in the company. Rob and Bruce actively encourage their staff to use flexible arrangements to meet non-work commitments. As a result, a variety of work arrangements is used by individual staff members. These include flexible start and finish times, working from home, and taking time out during the work day to attend doctor's appointments, the gym or other recreational activities. Leave is also treated in a flexible manner. There is generous treatment of bereavement and domestic leave. Staff members may take leave to attend children's school camps or other school-based activities. If a staff member suffers a tragedy or crisis, they are released from the workplace immediately, and time off is not debited from annual leave entitlements. A period of one month's paid sabbatical leave is available to consulting staff at the end of five years service to allow them the opportunity to reflect on their career and aspirations. Study leave is also available to allow staff to study in work time rather than in family time. Staff report increased efficiency, productivity and discretionary effort resulting from the company's commitment to work and family balance. Staff without children noted that they feel the benefits of the culture as well.
Rob and Bruce see value in enhancing the contacts between work and family. Children are welcome in the office at any time. Social evenings for staff members, their partners and families, are held bi-monthly. Other family-oriented events have included a children's Christmas party in 1997, and a family magical mystery tour in 1996 which ended up in Blenheim. Recognising that some staff do not have children, social fun events are held for adults only as well.
The Directors of Wheeler Campbell Consulting Limited have stayed true to one of the founding values they had in establishing the company - to create a workplace that facilitates all staff balancing work and non-work life. The reality is reflected both in the management practices that Rob and Bruce have developed and in their own everyday behaviour at work.
Judges' Comments:
For directors of a company to base their own working styles as well as their company philosophy and practices on the premise that 'families need to be together regularly to function effectively' is a welcome example of walking the talk.
Evidence that other staff members access the same flexibility as the directors in a demand driven industry is most encouraging. Administrative and consulting staff see family friendly practices as 'just the way we do it here' and report the positive effects on their health and their family well-being of such a supportive environment.
Joint Winners
Rob Borgers and Bruce Henry Wheeler, Campbell Consulting Ltd
Ross Gillett, Department of Social Welfare
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Ross Gillett works as a manager at the Income Support Service of the Department of Social Welfare based in Wellington. He has been manager of the National Community Services Card Centre (NCSCC) since 1992, and manager of International Affairs since May 1996. NCSCC is the first section at Income Support to receive ISO accreditation. Ross was nominated for the Walk the Talk Award by Chandi Settinayake. She says 'The NCSCC is a place where one can be anything they want to be if one puts their mind to it, regardless of gender, age, ethnicity, disability or family responsibilities.'
With a staff of about 100 people reporting to him, Ross's management style is open and inclusive. Being married with three young children, he recognises the need to provide a supportive environment where all employees can maintain a healthy balance between work and their family and cultural life. This belief is reflected in the way Ross manages his staff. 'I consider my staff as a large family,' he says.
The first overhead he uses in staff induction says 'I care. You matter. This job should be fun' which reflects his management philosophy. Ross has found that valuing diversity, including staff's family responsibilities, has enhanced customer understanding and service. Performance appraisal also reflects high quality performance from staff who are recognised for results not simply visibility. Retention rates are good with those who leave for various reasons often choosing to return.
Flexible work arrangements and sensitive work practices are part of the office culture. 'Working Windows' are negotiated to meet individual and business needs and staff members can also negotiate to use their own sick leave allowance to care for ill family dependants. Annual leave can be taken during school holidays, providing business needs can be met, and Ross uses these policies to ensure the best advantage to both the business and his staff members.
Although overtime is available Ross does not encourage staff to work late or at weekends. Staff outings including family members are held regularly and are well attended. Ross also encourages staff on parental leave, or those who have left to have children, to take part in these events and to keep in regular contact with their colleagues.
Lynn McKenzie, Human Resources Manager of Income Support, comments that Ross demonstrates the goal of the department's managers to ensure that staff can be the 'best they can be' in pursuit of Income Support's business purpose and that his nomination for the Work & Family Walk the Talk Award 'is testimony to his ability to interpret business rules and policies in a flexible way that recognises individual and business needs in given situations without necessarily setting precedents.'
Ross also recognises and values the ethnic and cultural diversity of his staff. He has been instrumental in developing an in-house document, in close consultation with staff members, which sets out important features in the culture of each ethnic group at the NCSCC, including family values. The document is a useful guide for managers in communicating with staff from ethnic backgrounds other than their own, and assisting them when family issues need to be addressed. Ross has been involved in an initiative giving staff members the opportunity to present and explain their culture and language to the rest of the staff. Social events for staff and families organised by different ethnic groups have also been encouraged. The cafeteria has had month long themes focussing on different cultural groups, their values, artefacts and celebrations. The effect of these initiatives has been to improve respect for and understanding of different family norms and values in colleagues and customers.
Despite his dedication and enthusiasm for his work and staff, Ross above all values his own family and shows a strong commitment to them. When there are deadlines to be met, Ross prefers to take work home rather than work late in the office, believing it is important to spend time with his family whenever possible. Although travelling is a part of his work, he tries to keep it to a minimum because it compromises his ability to provide support to his wife and children. Ross and his family are regular participants in the social and cultural activities of the NCSCC, underlining Ross's firm view that work and non-work life are inextricably linked. Ross's staff know that they are welcome to have their children come into the office if it can be done without compromising the safety of the children.
Ross Gillett sees his family friendly approach to his staff, and his achievement in balancing his own work commitments with his family role, as a matter of ongoing effort, adjustment and flexibility. He says, 'I strongly believe that no matter how well you do something, there are always ways and means of doing it better.'
Judges' Comments:
Ross Gillett's commitment to understanding diverse family structures, values and commitments is impressive. He has incorporated staff learning about diversity into social events and everyday work practices. His view of his workplace as a family gives him extra responsibilities that he takes seriously.
Acknowledging significant events in the family and personal lives of 100 staff shows real commitment. Workplace support in times of bereavement, celebration, success and in the ongoing balancing act makes a difference to his team, in their performance as well as in their well-being.
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