Getting the Balance Right - Information for Boards and CoMs
As the ultimate authority in any not-for-profit organisation, boards have an important role to play in ensuring that an organisation strategically addresses work and family balance issues.
Have you thought about...?
37.9% of employed women have dependent children.
We are all members of families.
Caring for families is not just up to individuals, but society as a whole. It's important to remember that the people responsible for your organisation's day-to-day operations have family depending on them, too.
Download the 2003 ACTU Work and Family Background Paper (PDF) 206.17 kB for facts and stats about work family balance.
Balancing staff needs with organisational needs
A number of staff at a small women's domestic violence service with family living overseas were excited about '48/52' - a purchased annual leave option that would allow them to take more time to travel to visit family and be less financially draining than taking leave without pay. However, this needed to be balanced against the availability of skilled relief staff to cover the extra leave and maintain service delivery. This option was taken to the committee of management (CoM) for consideration.
In order to prevent negative impacts on service delivery and still provide the 48/52 option, the CoM focused on good planning. It was decided well in advance which staff could take 48/52 in any given year. Relief cover was planned for and provided by entering into a strategic partnership with another organisation in the same field. The partnership agreement created a 'staff pool' between the organisations, which could be drawn on to cover staff on leave.
The bottom line
As a board member, you must ensure that your organisation is financially sound. Certain family friendly policies have financial implications, and in small organisations, there’s often not much money to go around. Don’t let this stop you - a little planning can stretch limited finances a long way.
Family friendly policies can save money. For example, research shows that employees who receive paid maternity leave are more likely to return to that workplace. Paid maternity leave can therefore save you
Click on the table above for an example of the cost of replacing an employee in the SACS sector.
money in the long run, because it costs less than replacing a valued employee.