What does “family-friendly workplace” really mean?

Many organisations talk about having a culture that embraces flexible working hours, part-time work for parents regardless of gender and job sharing. Some institutions even provide onsite childcare.

But when the pressure is on at home, a child is ill or an elderly relative needs extra care, how hard is it to ask the boss to change your working day or to slash your travel itinerary?

The Victorian government is hoping new guidelines will elevate family responsibilities outside the narrow confines of the human resources department and make it grounds for unlawful discrimination.

Deputy Premier and Attorney-General Rob Hulls said in August that the guidelines, “Building eQuality in the Workplace: Family Responsibilites – Guidelines for Employers and Employees”, complemented new amendments to the Equal Opportunity Act 1995 (Vic) which made it unlawful for employers to unreasonably refuse to accommodate an employee’s parental or carer responsibilities.

Under the changes, employers do not have to automatically approve a request for more flexible work arrangements. But when asked, they must seriously consider more suitable working conditions for workers with family or caring responsibilities.

In making a decision, employers must consider the cost of any new arrangements and the effect of those arrangements on others in the workplace, including the financial impact on the business.

Avoiding the scheduling of meetings before 9am to allow parents to drop children off at school or allowing employees to work additional hours to make up for time taken for parental or carer duties without loss of pay are just some examples of more family-friendly practices.

Or, it could mean providing access to an office phone for calls relating to parental or carer responsibilities or changing the need for overnight work trips.

Mr Hulls said improving the work-life balance helped retain skilled staff – many of whom had parental or carer responsibilities.
For employers, this means reduced recruitment and training costs and ultimately a boost to productivity.