Employers have recognised that they are losing good staff because of difficulties caused by juggling family and work commitments, according to the Equality Authority. The State's first Family Friendly Workplace Day will be held on Thursday, March 1st, following a joint initiative by employers' organisation IBEC, the Irish Congress of Trade Unions and the Equality Authority.
A recent Equality Authority survey found that just over half of small and medium enterprises offer family-friendly work arrangements. These most often relate to emergency or special leave, followed by part-time work and flexi-time.
"The idea is to get employers thinking about flexible working arrangements," says Equality Authority spokesman Gerry Hickey. The Civil Service has introduced term-time working, which allows parents to take time off during the summer and Easter school holidays.
"They are paid at a reduced rate, of course, but it's spread over the full year," says Hickey.
Family Friendly Workplace Day will encourage employers to survey their employees' attitudes to more flexible working arrangements. In the UK recently, two people took the initiative of applying for a job as a partnership. They did a joint interview for the position of chief executive of a hospital, and were appointed on their own job-sharing terms.
A few years ago, it would have been unnecessary for bosses to encourage their employees to go home on time, but as part of Family Friendly Workplace Day, they will be asked to organise a "Go Home On Time Day", as well as family open days in the workplace.
For further information on Family Friendly Workplace Day, contact the Equality Authority at Clonmel Street, Dublin 2, or Locall 1890-245545.
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