Let’s face it, we’re all working longer and harder to keep businesses going and to keep our jobs. However, burning the candle at both ends eventually causes burn out and the loss of good employees. That’s why a coalition of nonprofit and education leaders brought a new initiative to Manchester to encourage employers and employees to work together to make workplaces flexible and help employees achieve a work/life balance.
When Work Works is a national project focused on workplace effectiveness and flexibility. Manchester received a $10,000 grant to start the initative and will be hosting several forums to promote best practices and help employers find ways to integrate flexibility into their businesses. “This isn’t about giving perks to working parents, but developing strategies for both the employer and employees,” says Sharon Cowen, a family and consumer resources educator with the University of NH Cooperative Extension. “Offerings don’t have to be expensive to help employees manage their lives better.”
A recent community research project headed by the Manchester Community Committee on Safety and Health conducted indepth interviews with working families in NH and concluded that the most pressing needs of Manchester working families were indeed inexpensive: Flexibility to address family issues during work time; education and training of employers to better understand the needs of the workforce; and access and assistance in finding adequate child care.
When Work Works is a project of the Families and Work Institute, and is sponsored by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation in partnership with the Institute for a Competitive Workforce, an affiliate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and the Twiga Foundation. Communities can apply to be part of the project and receive a grant to promote flexible workplace practices in their community.
In October, the City of Manchester was accepted into the When Work Works project through the efforts of a coalition headed by the YWCA of Manchester. It is the first city in New England to achieve the designation. Partnering with the YWCA is the University of NH Manchester, the UNH Cooperative Extension and Child and Family Services. The Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce is helping to promote the initiative to its members.
NH businesses will be encouraged to apply for the Alfred P. Sloan Awards for Business Excellence in Workplace Flexibility, which recognizes employers in select communities nationwide that are successfully using flexibility to meet both business and employee goals. The winner of the Manchester award will be announced at an event in September.
“This program provides educational resources, recognition and ideas for opportunities to improve,” Cowen says of the advantages businesses can realize by participating in the initiative. For more information, visit www.ywcaNH.org, or contact Cowen at (603) 641-6060 or Sharon.cowen@unh.edu. For resources, visit www.whenworkworks.org.
