Balance Work With Family Life (Jeff Hankins Commentary)

We have a company strategy for recruiting and keeping good employees that I would rather not share for competitive reasons.

But I feel strongly enough about steps we — and many other companies in Arkansas — have taken that I’m compelled to share the strategy.

Simply put, we’re working hard to be a family-friendly company.

The first Arkansas Governor’s Family-Friendly Employer Awards were presented last week by the Arkansas Department of Human Services as part of a statewide initiative to recognize employers for establishing and providing resources that support employees in balancing the needs of work and family. Arkansas Business Publishing Group was among the sponsors.

We learned how 11 companies of all sizes across Arkansas have implemented a variety of benefits to help employees balance work and family. Those of us who are sold on the philosophy want it to become contagious.

Earl Maxwell, who runs the largest locally owned accounting firm in Austin, Texas, was the keynote speaker and described his philosophical conversion. He begins every company meeting with this statement: “No success at work is worth failure at home.”

That’s powerful.

Maxwell said he used to have the standard philosophy of so many: You need to leave your family problems at home and get to work. He finally realized that is impossible.

Today, his firm’s company handbook states that employees are expected to participate in their children’s educational activities and may do so during traditional work hours. Those without children are given equal opportunity to spend time mentoring kids or serving schools.

Some steps companies can take are downright simple and inexpensive. Maxwell spent $15 to buy a big bulletin board that hangs in the office break room. It’s the “Kids Brag Board,” and employees show off the work and success of their children to coworkers.

For Maxwell, the term “family friendly” is being replaced by “work-life balance.” Companies that help employees balance work and life outside of work reap countless benefits.

The list of benefits provided by this year’s Governor’s Award winners is amazing. Baptist Health of Little Rock, the top award winner in the competition, offers on-site child care and summer programs for school-age children. DaySpring Cards of Siloam Springs offers cash incentives to employees to reach personal health goals. I.C.E. Inc. of Little Rock features “Flex Fridays,” which allows employees to put in 40 hours of work by noon on Friday.

I’ll admit that when our CEO, Olivia Farrell, first mentioned creating a kids’ fun room a few years ago, I didn’t get it because I didn’t have children yet. She envisioned employees having a place at the office for school-age children to hang out when their parents were in a crunch after school or the like.

Today it’s a regularly used room that is a big selling point in our employee recruitment efforts as proof positive that we care about families. I tell every new hire that family comes before work, and I want them to be homeroom moms and dads at school and soccer and baseball coaches.

All of us who have implemented family-friendly initiatives know that we can still do better. You must first adopt the philosophy, then apply it. Some steps will cost a company next to nothing, while others certainly carry a price tag.

We will reach the point in Arkansas where taking an old-fashioned, hard-line approach to trying to separate work and family will become a serious competitive disadvantage in employee recruitment and work force stability.

Which direction will your company take?

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If you haven’t registered to join us for the first Arkansas Executive Summit on April 3 in Little Rock, please do so today.

The theme is “The Journey From Vision to Value,” and speakers will address issues from technology to global competition in an uncertain economy.

The lineup of keynote speakers is diverse: Don Soderquist, retired chief operating officer of Wal-Mart Stores Inc.; Charles Morgan, company leader of Acxiom Corp.; and Graham Catlett, president of Catlett Enterprises.

This is a rare opportunity for business executives across Arkansas to network and share their experiences in tackling tough issues and building better companies. We’re pleased to present the event with the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and the Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce.

Call Rita Deloney at (501) 569-8569 to register or obtain more information.