Family-friendly workplaces expand despite unpopular return-to-office policies

Having driven significant policy change in Australia and supported over 650 organisations in improving their family-friendly work practices, the movement is now set to expand to the UK. This growth comes at a critical time, as global and local pressures surrounding return-to-office mandates intensify.

In Australia, Novartis, Sanofi, MSD, HCF, and Medibank are among organisations already recognised as Family Inclusive Workplace Certified Employers.

“This expansion marks a major milestone in our mission to create workplaces where employees can thrive both professionally and personally. We know that family-friendly policies are a game-changer for businesses too – boosting retention, engagement, and productivity,” said Emma Walsh, Founder of Family Friendly Workplaces.

The 2024 National Working Families survey, which examined the impact of workplace trends on over 6,200 of Australia’s working parents and carers, highlighted persistent gender disparities. Women continue to bear nearly twice the caregiving and household responsibilities of men, despite working similar hours. Stress levels have risen since 2019, with women experiencing the greatest impact.

The survey also found that half of respondents believe it is less acceptable for men than for women to take time off or work flexibly to care for their families.

Research underscores the business advantages of flexible, family-friendly work practices. A 2023 University of Birmingham study found that 71.2% of managers see flexible working as a performance-enhancing tool, while 76.5% report increased productivity. A separate CIPD study revealed that 54% of managers struggling with recruitment improved hiring success by offering greater flexibility.

As workforce demographics shift, the Family Friendly Workplaces program also supports employees managing eldercare and “sandwich-caring” responsibilities, ensuring businesses are prepared for future workforce challenges.

“For too long, businesses have lacked a clear, evidence-based benchmark for what truly makes a workplace family-friendly. This certification changes that. By giving employers the tools to assess, improve, and embed family-friendly policies, we’re helping to create workplaces where parents and carers can thrive at work whilst fulfilling their caring responsibilities. In turn, businesses will see higher retention, engagement and productivity, and create a culture where employees feel valued and supported,” said Jane van Zyl, CEO of Working Families.

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