As women who prioritise family-friendly workplaces for our own lives, we should also ensure we set-up similar environments for our own employees (both male and female).

As a family law mediator, I find that the biggest hurdle in women entering/remaining in the workplace and establishing their own financial security as a single mother after separation, is the availability of family-friendly work environments.

Obviously, as employers' business owners are focussed on the bottom line, but it is important to remember that there are significant benefits to establishing a business that delivers a positive experience for our employees too.

The benefits of family-friendly workplaces are many – here’s just a few:

• Happier employees – at work and at home – with less stress and better mental, emotional and physical health and wellbeing
• Increased employee productivity – increased motivation, heightened creativity and ownership of results
• Increased levels of customer satisfaction (and that means better word-of- mouth marketing for your business)
• Greater ability to meet business demands 
• Lower absenteeism (saving you stress and money)
• Improved employee loyalty 
• Reduced risk of physical and mental burn-out 
• More employees returning to work after maternity leave 
• A reputation as an employer of choice – you’ll attract better quality applicants and that means better business for you and your clients

To explore whether you are providing a genuinely family-friendly workplace for your employees, try this quiz that I saw in a fantastic booklet resource from 'WIRE - Creating Family Friendly Work Places - Better Balance Better Business Booklet'. Remember to be honest with your answers.

Is My Business Family-Friendly?

How many of these statements match with the way you would describe the way your business operates?

1. My employees have the option of flexible worktimes; I know they’ll get the work done. 
2. I’m open to considering different employment options that suit my employees and my business, such as part-time and job- sharing.
3. I’m flexible about the reasons my employees take leave and how they take it. 
4. My employees approach me for help when they need to meet out-of- work commitments.  
5. My employees know that when considering their requests, I try to strike a fair balance between their needs and those of the business – they know if I have to say no it’s not personal and I don’t play favourites. 
6. My employees’ families feel welcome at my business. 
7. My employees and I encourage each other not to work ridiculous hours.
8. I try to make the workplace a family-friendly space. 
9. I provide the best possible maternity leave conditions I can afford. 
10. My employees know what’s on offer to help them and my customers know that my policy is to be a family-friendly workplace.

How Family-Friendly is Your Workplace?

If you tallied between 7 – 10, congratulations. You are already operating a family-friendly workplace but there is always room for improvement so keep doing what you’re doing and make sure you listen to the feedback from your employees.

If you scored between 4 – 6, it’s clear you are doing some things right but it’s time to look at more ways to improve. Talking to your employees about what they feel is lacking in your workplace is a good starting point to add more family-friendly initiatives that will help your workplace become a healthier and happier place to be for everyone.

If your score was between 0 – 3 it’s important that you take active steps towards genuine family-friendly improvements. Your staff will be happier and that leads to better business.

You can find more information about ways to create a family-friendly workplace here.

Elisa Turco is a mother of four children and an accredited family law mediator and family lawyer who specialises in alternative dispute resolution. You can connect with her via LinkedIn.