What is a Family Friendly Workplace?

"At Novartis we talk about ‘our unbossed people’ which is reflected both in the culture of our people and the policies we have in place. These support flexible working, paid parental leave, equal pay and beyond. Because by supporting our people to be there for the moments that matter in their family lives, we are building a more diverse, innovative and happier workplace."

"I am committed to supporting our people to not only bring their best self to work, but to bring their best self to their family and significant others. The lines between work and family continue to converge, each impacting the other. Our focus in creating a family friendly environment also extends to our program participants and we apply a holistic work/life framework that helps them to shape their future and secure their new beginning."

“At QBE we endeavour to embrace diversity and ensure we provide a platform where all our people feel supported to be at their best in the home, and at work. Our gender-equal paid parental leave policy, Share the Care, is a great example of our commitment to mainstreaming equal caring responsibilities for men and women. It’s not just the right thing to do, it makes perfect business sense, with family friendly workplaces delivering positive outcomes for society, business, our economy, and our families.”

"By becoming a family friendly accredited workplace we’re making it clear that we welcome and celebrate the different set of circumstances and needs that each parent brings to ING. This creates an environment where parents feel understood and encouraged to find the right balance between work and home, leading to better work and life outcomes. We think our approach is the right one for any modern workplace wanting to encourage happier, healthier and higher performing people – both at work and in their personal lives."

"The first 2,000 days shape a child’s future. In this time children develop many of the skills and abilities that help them grow into productive adults. Bonded attachment is fundamental for a child’s brain development and their ability to form relationships and is proven to have better education outcomes as well as reducing the risk of mental illness. This is a critical time for children, parents and families. What we were seeing through our parenting services, even before coronavirus, was an increase in stressed and anxious working parents needing support. The struggle of the juggle is very real! Family Friendly Workplaces support us raising safe, confident and resilient children as well as achieving the business benefits of diversity, productivity and attracting and retaining people.”

“The Family Friendly Workplaces initiative is a ground-breaking and practical opportunity for workplaces to better support employees and their families in all their marvellous diversity. Families Australia is proud to be a Strategic Partner and to see the initiative being launched during National Families Week 2021 which highlights the vital role that families play in our society and our lives.”

'I, and many other leading employers, have long recognised the productivity and business benefits of supporting parents, through family-friendly policies like paid parental leave and flexible working. As well as being the right thing to do, these policies attract and retain talented employees. They protect the significant investment it takes to train and develop staff before they become parents. And of particular importance to me is the fact that family policies - ones that allow both women and men to experience work-life balance - help female employees stay in paid work, and go a ways to reducing the gender pay-gap. It's time every workplace understood, and embraced the benefits of family friendly workplaces.'

"At Deloitte, we want to ensure that all of our people have the opportunity to have a great career experience and reach their full potential. We recognise that supporting working families is critical to attracting and retaining great talent and ensuring that our people can effectively integrate work and life. We also recognise that through enabling the right conditions for our parents to thrive, we will positively contribute to their mental health and wellbeing. This in turn will positively impact the mental health and wellbeing of the children and families within the communities in which we live and work."