Strategy and tools of the Gezinsbond to promote family- friendly working places Lutgard Vrints 9th October 2012

Gezinsbond (League of families)  Pluralistic, non-governmental family organisation, °1921  families in Flanders and Brussels are member  Representation of 1/6 of the Flemish population

Aims of the Gezinsbond  Care for the material and non-material quality of family life  Promotion of solidarity between families  Protect the interests of all families  Work towards a family and child friendly climate in our society

Actions and activities of the Gezinsbond  Activities on local, regional and national level  Family-oriented services on local, regional and national level  Political action on local, regional, national and international level

Promoting family-friendly working places = part of our family policy for a good balance on work and family Other revendications on national and regional level are: - Good leave systems for care - Services (household services…) and care institutions (elderly, persons with a handicap, children)

Family friendly working places  not a new concept  Links with other measures and tools such as sustainable entrepreneurship and corporate social responsibility, genderfriendly working places, diversity measures Still there is a specifity: focus is on families

family-friendly working places Important principle: there is no standard solution depends on  Type of activity and production  Characteristics of the company’s employees (age, gender, statute…)  Seize of the company…

Family-friendly working places important priciple: result of a dialogue How to answer the needs of the company and the employees? Instrument: Dialogue on (inter)sectoral and company level

Charter for a family-friendly working place ° June 2009 Content: values and principles of a family friendly working place No audit or label (cfr other initiatives), but a start for a dialogue on company level

Results:  20 companies (profit and non-for profit), local and regional governments signed in  In many other the dialogue started  Ideas spread by articles, conferences and in sectors and companies that not signed in (yet)  Charter used by academics and HR consultants for research and policy

My company subscribes to the following values:  The management of my organisation respects the person behind the employee as a member of a family, regardless of his or her place or position in the organisation.  The management of my organisation considers family-friendly working conditions and employment terms a powerful instrument in personnel management.  The management of my organisation creates equal opportunities for women and men among its personnel, regardless of their age or family situation.  The management of my organisation is open to dialogue concerning the needs of the employee's family.

 My organisation applies the following principles:  The management of my organisation knows the existing regulations with a view toward a healthy combination of work and family, and respects these.  The management of my organisation actively and clearly communicates concerning existing legal regulations and the extra family-friendly measures that it offers its personnel.  If my organisation has a business plan, family-friendliness is given a visible place in it.  The management of my organisation actively listens to its personnel in order to understand the needs related to combining family and work, and tries to meet these needs as much as possible.

 The standing employment conditions of my organisation include family-friendly measures that meet the real needs of the employees and that were checked with them. Possible examples are teleworking, the option of part-time work, priority for holidays given to parents of school-age children during the school holidays, family-friendly flexible work schedules, the option of being compensated for overtime in time instead of money...  If my organisation has a collective consultation body, measures promoting a healthy combination of family and work are regularly on its agenda.  Family-friendly measures are not a bonus awarded on an individual basis. The management of my organisation implements these transparently, based on objective criteria.

 The management of my organisation works on creating a family-friendly climate among colleagues, and does not tolerate criticism by colleagues of employees who opt for more family time.  The management of my organisation does not link the career perspectives of employees with a temporary absence or reduction in time worked.  The management of my organisation finds it self-evident that men (may) also opt for more family time.

Other instruments  Agenda setting  Lobbying (different political levels; trade unions and employers organisations)  Information to and empowerment of our members and civil society

Thank you for listening!