Brands pondering flexible work environments should prioritize family considerations
In the ever-evolving world of work, it's crucial for organizations to create policies that support both women and men in balancing families and careers. As a columnist, I'm delighted to discuss a recent internal policy change at 99designs, a company I have the privilege to lead.
We've recognised the need to normalize equal caring roles and have implemented a policy change aimed at providing flexibility for our employees. This shift is not just about offering parental leave for mothers and fathers, but about creating a stigma-free environment where both genders can take on caregiving responsibilities without fear of negative career impacts.
Our new policy encompasses clear gender equality measures. We've developed policies that explicitly cover caregiving responsibilities, ensuring neither gender is penalized or stigmatized for taking on caring roles. This includes equitable parental leave for both mothers and fathers, flexible work arrangements, and support for work-life balance to reduce the caregiving burden traditionally placed on women.
We've also embedded processes to prevent stigma and bias around caregiving roles. Through training and awareness programs, we aim to foster an organizational culture valuing both genders’ contributions at work and at home. By targeting stereotypes and unconscious biases about caregiving, we encourage men to engage equally in care, promote respect and understanding for employees with caregiving duties, and normalize caregiving responsibilities for all genders.
Inclusive recruitment and promotion practices are another key element. We've adopted opt-out systems for promotion consideration, which help address gender disparities in leadership and encourage equal opportunity for women and men to advance while balancing caring roles.
But our commitment doesn't stop there. We're creating a stigma-free mental health and well-being environment by providing accessible, inclusive support services and encouraging open discussions about caregiving challenges without judgment. This reduces stress and burnout risks and normalizes caregiving responsibilities for all genders.
Lastly, we're ensuring organizational support systems like childcare assistance, flexible working hours, telecommuting options, and employee assistance programs. These acknowledge caregiving as a shared responsibility and support employees holistically.
In conclusion, our new policy is about formal gender equality policies that are fully integrated into our HR practices and organizational culture. We actively address stigma through education and leadership commitment, and provide tangible support to balance caregiving roles for both women and men, thereby creating an environment where caregiving is normalized and does not hinder career development.
Organizations have a responsibility to create policies and stigma-free environments that help balance the gender scales in caring roles. While a lot of focus is correctly placed on supporting mothers when they return to work, organizations also need to address the balance of caring roles for both genders. Stigma-free environments are essential for balancing the gender scales in caring roles, and I encourage other organisations to follow our lead.
This piece is part of Adweek's Columnist Network series, where high-level experts share their tactical thoughts and actions. By implementing these strategies, we aim to create a more inclusive and equitable workplace for all.
[1] Source: McKinsey & Company, "Delivering through diversity" [2] Source: World Economic Forum, "Why gender diversity matters" [3] Source: Catalyst, "The business case for women's leadership" [4] Source: Harvard Business Review, "Why men still can't have it all" [5] Source: Lean In, "Women in the Workplace 2018"
- By addressing the stigma around caregiving roles and implementing equitable parental leave, flexible work arrangements, and mental health support, our new policy actively promotes health-and-wellness within families and fosters a conducive workplace-wellness culture.
- Recognizing the need for gender equality, we've adopted inclusive recruitment and promotion practices, and fostered an environment that supports science-backed research on the importance of equal parenting, thereby encouraging balanced family-health and parenting practices.
