The search is on for 2013's Top Employers for Working Families
Now in their 5th year and in partnership with HR magazine, the Top Employers for Working Families Benchmark and Awards identify progressive employers who recognise and leverage the powerful links between flexibility, emotional engagement, wellbeing and high performance.
To enter, organisations complete a unique and robust benchmark survey which examines in detail their work-life policies and practices.
The final published A-Z lists of Top Employers for Working Families are compiled by taking the entrants with the highest scores in the benchmark survey.
For the first time in 2013, small and medium sized businesses with up to 250 employees can enter a tailored SME benchmark. The top scoring SME benchmark entrants will be announced as the Top 5 Small Family Friendly Employers.
Also new for 2013 is an optional three minute employee poll which entrants can circulate to their staff. Designed to be light touch, the quick poll will offer employers another layer of understanding into the success of their work-life policies and practices.
Benchmark entrants can opt to enter Special Awards which are judged anonymously by the judging panel, which includes Sarah Jackson, chief executive, Working Families, Professor Cary L Cooper, professor of organisational psychology and health and Mary Mercer, principal consultant, Institute for Employment Studies.
In 2013 the Special Award categories are:
• Best for flexible working
• Best for all stages of motherhood
• Best for all stages of fatherhood
• Best for carers and eldercare
• Best for engagement
• Best for career progression for flexible workers
• Best for innovation
• Best for childcare
Sarah Jackson, chief executive of Working Families, commented: "Top Employers for Working Families is now firmly established as the definitive benchmark for employers who want to examine their flexible working and work-life policies and celebrate what they are doing well. Forward-thinking employers recognise that good flexibility and work-life policies are good for families and good for business."
The Top 10 and Top 30 Top Employers, the Top 5SMEs and the Special Award winners of Top Employers for Working Families will be announced at a ceremony during National Work-Life Week in September.
