Make your workplace more family friendly

How to create a family-friendly workplace Managing family-related periods of leave is a common HR issue in the modern workplace. If your business offers a family-friendly work environment that supports employees when they need it most, you are more likely to enjoy the long-term support of those employees in return. In this article, we take a look at a fast-developing area. Family-friendly workplace policies Employees with young families will appreciate an employer that offers flexible working patterns rather than a fixed number of hours per day, five days per week. Flexitime (varying start and finish times), compressed hours (working the same hours in fewer days), and job sharing are some of the most straightforward ways for employers to accommodate flexible working requests.  Part-time work and facilitating homeworking are other options that could be explored. Employees have no legal right to be granted flexible work arrangements but exploring alternative arrangements will foster a more productive work environment in the longer term. Family emergencies Employees do enjoy a statutory right to force majeure leave or paid time off work to deal with family emergencies. Employees with young children may need to rely on this legal entitlement if they are required to help a family member seek medical assistance. It is good employment practice to include a clause in the employment contract confirming that employees can take force majeure leave in line with current statutory provisions. If you choose to provide entitlements over and above the statutory right, this should be confirmed in writing in the employment contract. Family leave entitlements and the gender pay gap Peninsula made submissions to the Department of Justice and Equality last year pointing out that the existing structure of parental leave entitlements is a contributory factor in Ireland’s persistent gender pay gap. If women continue to receive a far greater entitlement to maternity leave, the notion that family responsibilities should predominantly be taken up by women will persist. A workplace that encourages men to share the burden of parenting young children will also be effective in tackling gender imbalances in the context of pay and seniority. With gender pay gap reporting legislation on the way, a workplace that facilitates a more even distribution of caring responsibilities between mothers and fathers will take great strides towards eliminating any gender pay gap that might exist. Benefits of being family-friendly work policies The law on family-friendly leave entitlements is still catching up with the realities of modern life. The announcement of a paid parental leave scheme in last year’s budget (to commence in November this year) signals the government’s intention to bolster employee family leave entitlements. As modern life becomes increasingly demanding for parents of young children, the introduction of agile or flexible work arrangements will encourage a more balanced distribution of caring responsibilities between mothers and fathers of young children. In the long-term, this approach contributes to the workplace both as a work/life balance initiative and as a means of minimising the negative impacts of maternity leave on women’s long-term contributions to business. If you have any questions in relation to family-friendly work practices, please contact Peninsula’s expert employment law advisors on 0818 923 923 or if you would like one of our advisors to call you backfill in your details here.