WorkFamily.com is a website that offers both free resources and information regarding work life balance issues as well as subscriptions to a variety of work life balance newsletters, research reports, useful databases, and Training services. This week, HR.com highlights the free resources and information that WorkFamily.com offers.
What is WorkFamily.com?
WorkFamily.com is a website that was developed by the Work & Family Connection (WFC) to assist "employers create an effective workforce of human beings, people with important personal responsibilities." Â Since 1984, the WFC has made work life balance issues their major concern. Â In fact, their services have been voted "the best resource in the country" by the Boston College Center for Work & Family Roundtable.
What are some of WorkFamily.com´s free resources?
WorkFamily.com offers seven different types of free online resources:
1) Â Â Â Â Important studies
2) Â Â Â Â Open Forum
3) Â Â Â Â Tip of the Month
4) Â Â Â Â Related Websites
5) Â Â Â Â Conferences
6) Â Â Â Â Evaluation of Work-Life efforts
7) Â Â Â Â FAQ´s: Workplace Children
The information provided by the Important Studies section is similar to a research brief as it highlights the findings of several dozens of recent studies done within the U.S. Â Some of the main and most recent study findings that were posted take a look at retention techniques, and why people stay. Â There is also information on why companies should strive to follow best practices. Â This information is especially important for HR managers as this study highlights the connection between good HR practices and the bottom line for businesses. Â
If you´re looking for best practices retention tips, WorkFamily does a good job at quickly providing lots of information "at your fingertips". Â For example, the listing provides the top retention techniques and employee preferences, employee involvement, work practices, and managerial support from a variety of different studies and sources. Â At first glance, this information, written briefly, appears rather unimportant. Â However, the author has condensed the most important information into a digestable and easy-to-read format helping to bridge the gap between the practitioner and the academic. Â What use are the results all of these studies if they are 25 pages long, written in cryptic, formal English, and filled with correlations and regression analysis?
Their Open Forums are somewhat useful especially if you are the individual posting the question. Â Forum members chat about where to find research information on Work Life issues, alternate work arrangements, childcare-friendly companies, etc. Â Many of the answers encourage users to either purchase a WorkFamily Listing or only provide brief answers to users´ questions. Â Nonetheless, contact names, phone numbers, and company names are often provided to give users a push in the right direction.
In 1997, WFC in conjunction with the Whirlpool Foundation, and the Working Mother Magazine conducted an Evaluation of Work Life Efforts, "the nation´s first and only survey to find out how representative companies have been evaluating their work-life programs and practices, what they feel they´ve learned, and their priorities for evaluation in the future." Â
As with most studies, there is a heavy emphasis on the presentation of statistics and arguably useless figures. Â As with the Important Studies section, skim the boring statistics to get to the conclusion that is a basic reiteration of all the main points listed above. Â Within a couple more years, much of the information provided will be out of date as increasingly more companies will be implementing benefits that were once luxuries, that are now necessities.
WFC also provides FAQ´s regarding Workplace Childcare. Â Mainly geared towards organizations, this FAQ listing provides answers to the main questions regarding childcare such as
What are the first steps to start an employer-supported childcare center?
What are the advantages and disadvantages?
How big should it be?
How big is cost-effective?
WFC has amassed some great answers to provide a guideline and benchmark for organizations that are considering implementing company childcare. Â For example, the FAQ´s also cover the topic of how employees´ with no children feel to in-house childcare, and how much companies typically provide subsidies for. Â WFC´s answers are brief and informative and are backed by research results. Â These answers are exceptionally useful as they are extremely specific and pinpoint the numbers that your company may need to know. Â For example, one question is "What will our center cost to build and how much will it cost to operate?" Â Pretty demanding question...
WFC provides value-added answers by indicating the specific cost per square foot to expect, as well as ranges for individual space allowances for each child. Â They also include specific ranges for operating costs per child and a comparison to other types of daycare.
WFC´s Related Websites is also a boon to research hunters. Â As work-life information is rather specific and potentially difficult to find, WFC provides a comprehensive listing of websites to check out to further your searches and includes the following main topics:
q       Caregivers
q       Children, families, childcare
q       College and university effort
q       Convenience services
q       Eldercare
q       Federal efforts
q       Flexible work options
q       Gender issues
q       General Business Links
q       Help for employees
q       Labor
q       Publications'' websites
q       Research reports
q       Service providers
q       Shiftworkers
q       Workplace safety
Prices
Access to a lot of information is free, however users can purchase reports online as well as subscriptions to various reports, news briefs, and research reports.
Many of the reports prices are extremely affordable and range between $10 - $35. Â Some of these reports include:
Best Practices of 2000
The Bottom Line
Employer Supported Childcare
Benefits
Diversity
Education
Users can also subscribe to WFC´s News and Information Clearinghouse. Â If you purchase a one-year subscription for $295, the package includes:
q       12 issues of Work & Family Newsbrief
o       monthly hard-copy issues
§         monthly online PDF (Adobe Acrobat) issues
q       Work & Family Trend Report
o       monthly hard-copy issues
o       monthly online PDF issues
q       Free access to our 10-year Searchable Archives
q       Free access to the Special Report Series
q       Free access to Best Practices 2000
q       Free Personal Search service (WFC staff will spend up to two hours searching for the information you request, at no extra charge).
WFC offers a variety of options for purchasing their reports, newsbriefs, and publications. Â Take a look at their site for additional information.
There´s a lot of great information on this website, both complimentary and if you are interested, purchasable. Â (Their reports are affordable!) Â The information and answers provided are extremely specific and value added. Â As many companies are looking for innovative ways to improve their employees´ work-life balance, increase their employee retention rates and job satisfaction, WFC gives companies the information that they need to point their HR policies in the right direction.
5197 Beachside Drive
Minnetonka, MN 55343
952-936-7898
Fax 952-935-0122
www.workfamily.com