Family issues in the workplace were addressed on June 13 by BW's guest, consultant Fran Rodgers, with BW Social Issues Editor Michele Galen.
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OnlineHost: Good evening and welcome! Tonight Business Week Online brings you a special conference on work and family, with consultant Fran Rodgers as a special guest. She is founder of Work/Family Directions, a Boston-based firm she has built into a $50 million business in 10 years by advising corporations on how to deal with family issues in the workplace.
Fran Rodgers is a graduate of Barnard with a master's in clinical psychology from Tufts. She is joined on stage by Michele Galen (Galenbw), social issues editor of Business Week, who writes and edits stories on work and family trends, health care, education, and other social-policy issues. A lawyer by training, she has degrees from both the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism and the New York University School of Law.
The moderator tonight is Jack Dierdorff (JackBW), consulting editor of BW Online. And now on to our discussion with Fran Rodgers and Michele Galen -- and the questions about juggling work and family you send us via the Interact button.
JackBW: Good evening to all of you on AOL. And also to you, Fran Rodgers and Michele Galen.
FranRodger: It's good to be here.
Galenbw: Same here.
JackBW: Michele, you get the first question for Fran Rodgers.
Galenbw: Fran, people are working harder and harder these days. What kinds of things do people need from their employers to help them juggle work and personal responsibilities?
FranRodger: Generally, help with dependent care, more flexibility, and being accepted as an adult who can figure out how to get their work done.
Galenbw: Fran, how can employees convince companies that they need programs to help them?
FranRodger: The business case is strong. These investments help gain commitment, productivity, and better health. Companies need new ways to get this because of all the other changes going on.
JackBW: Jpschust wants to know what your firm does for its clients.
Question: How do you help companies?
FranRodger: We provide employees with information, advice, and community referrals; consult to companies on adapting to personal changes and flexible work; and investing in child care and other community-based resources to help people get to work.«MDNM»
Galenbw: What are some things cutting-edge companies are doing for employees?
FranRodger: Moving toward benefits that meet a life cycle of diverse needs, restructuring work to make it more flexible, collaborating with other companies on things like child care, programs for older children.
JackBW: Mba4Andrsn has what may be a typical dilemma, though she works at home.
Question: Any helpful suggestions to a work-at-home mom with two- and three-year-old toddlers would be appreciated -- no preschool during the summer months so am a little worried. Thinking of hiring a junior-high-age sitter to help out a few days per week.
FranRodger: If she has a job that really requires total concentration, I'd be a little concerned about so young a babysitter for regular care. Maybe she could find other parents with the same issues to share a more mature caregiver.
Galenbw: For moms and dads who work in offices and want some support, what is the best program to ask for -- to get their employer started supporting work and family issues?
FranRodger: More control over work hours and where and how work gets done is usually the most common need. All employers can do something to support dependent-care needs, as well. This could involve information, advice, or actual arrangements to help with care.
JackBW: JBerry154 reports on one state's arrangement for women with families.
Question: Hi. My fiancee's sister works for the state of Michigan and works half-time. She shares her job with another woman, and they coordinate schedules. The odd part, however, is that they both receive full benefits. Do you see any companies going to such lengths?
JackBW: I assume the women are caring for families.
FranRodger: Job-sharing and less-than-full-time work are both very effective. Companies get more than the proportionate effort, which usually makes up for any additional benefit costs.
JackBW: Fran, try this from Jpschust.
Question: How do I convince my manager to participate in this type of discussion?
FranRodger: Again, it's not about doing a favor. It's a way of doing business at this point in time. It's very helpful to show that your major concern is getting the job done and that there is more than one way to get there. For example, you might propose a different schedule that meets family and business needs at the same time.
JackBW: Here's another subject for you.
Question: Fran, what about on-site day-care centers?
FranRodger: There's been a slow but steady growth of centers. Generally, this is the most expensive option for an employer, and it doesn't serve very many people at one time. However, it obviously is very helpful for busy working parents.
Galenbw: Many women with young kids want to start at-home businesses. As a successful business owner, what tips can you offer about the best way to get started?
FranRodger: First, it is very hard to work seriously if your children aren't cared for by somebody else. So it's not an alternative to child care. You also have to be sure that you can stand the isolation if you're working alone. On the other hand, if you have a marketable skill, working at home is the most efficient way to manage time.
Galenbw: With all the debate about affirmative action, did you benefit from these kinds of programs, and do you think they are needed to help women entrepreneurs overcome existing obstacles to entering the business world?
FranRodger: I'm not aware of many women-owned businesses that have really gotten any special considerations. But I'm sure some have. Ultimately, all businesses rise or fall based on their acceptance in the marketplace.
JackBW: Fran, here's a new one for you.
Question: Are companies starting to help employees who have the problem of caring for aging and often ailing parents?
FranRodger: Yes. Primarily, the assistance offered is information and advice and finding resources. One of the problems for companies is that elders often don't live anywhere near the employee. Elder care as a business issue will increase as baby boomers enter middle age in record numbers.
JackBW: Back to on-site care, do you know of any answer for GleTer?
Question: Where can I get a listing of large corporations, specifically in the New York/New Jersey area, that offer on-site child care?
FranRodger: Good question. Try the Conference Board or the Families & Work Institute, both in New York. You may also want to look at Working Mother magazine's Top 100 Companies if you're asking the question to find an employer to work for.
Question: Are more companies offering parental leave for fathers? And do adoptive parents now get equal treatment?
FranRodger: More companies do offer parental leave. But like maternity leaves, most of it is unpaid. Adoptive parents almost always have the same leave options. However, they usually don't get the income replacement associated with pregnancy, which usually covers four to six weeks.
JackBW: As a follow-up question, do mothers suffer when they return from maternity leave? The mommy-track issue.
FranRodger: This really depends on the company and the conditions of return. Usually, a short maternity leave of up to three months or so won't hurt a career much. But parents sometimes feel that less-than-full-time work is viewed negatively in terms of long-term career advancement. Many companies are trying to reverse this attitude on the part of their supervisors, but it's pretty ingrained.
Galenbw: What would you advise workers to do themselves to reduce stress at home and at work?
FranRodger: Propose to their supervisors and managers ways of getting work done that meet mutual needs. Often people remain silent even when they see other ways to produce business results. Stress is often as much a problem of feeling out of control than the total workload.
Galenbw: Say you want to get a job with a more flexible employer. Are there things to look for, and conversely, red flags to be on the lookout for?
FranRodger: Check out how many people actually have flexible arrangements, not just whether the policies exist on the books. Also, see if there are any people in senior positions who have taken advantage of these types of policies.
JackBW: Fran, we'd like some specifics from you.
Question: Can you give us an example of a big challenge you've helped meet for a corporate client -- without naming names?
FranRodger: We've had clients who have had to change shifts in manufacturing totally, affecting the lives of children after school. We've worked with child-care providers and school systems to make sure that the hours of their services changed as well. Another interesting thing we do is respond quickly after disasters such as earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, to rebuild care supports in the community so parents can get back to work.
Galenbw: Fran, I'm really interested in how you got to be a $50 million business without formal business training -- can you tell aspiring entrepreneurs the secret of your success?
FranRodger: Like many entrepreneurs, I started out focused on solving a major problem, rather than on building a business. Fortunately, I'm a fast learner and also realized what I didn't know and hired wonderful people to complement my skills.
Galenbw: Fran, as far as the corporate world goes, do you think employees should be optimistic about their future ability to juggle work and life. Will things be better in five years?
FranRodger: I'm cautiously optimistic. We seem to be coming out of a period of reengineering and downsizing, realizing more clearly the importance of doing the things that remove productivity barriers and get people committed to work. There's still a lot more we must do to take full advantage of the talents of this labor force.
Galenbw: Fran, for our last question, can you leave employees with some final thoughts about convincing their companies to be more flexible?
FranRodger: Employees need to articulate how they can better deliver business results. It's important to be part of the solution to the company's productivity and business problems rather than be seen as asking for favors or one more problem to manage. We will never fill the gap between younger employees and senior managers if people don't speak up constructively and show their commitment to business success.
JackBW: Thanks, Fran Rodgers and Michele Galen. That was most helpful.
Galenbw: Thanks, Jack.
FranRodger: Thanks for including me.
OnlineHost: Thanks to Fran Rodgers of Work/Family Directions, Michele Galen of Business Week, and all the BW Online team for this conference on family issues in the workplace. And thanks to all of you on AOL (with apologies to those of you whose questions we didn't have time to use).
If you'd like to continue the discussion, we invite you to move to the BW Online Chat Room, or to post questions and comments on the BW Online Message Boards (try the category called Social Issues/Women/Work/Sports).
Transcripts of all BW Online conferences are available soon after the event (look under Talk, Special Events, or Search BW -- or, for this one, also in the Women & Business area under What's New). Join BW Online every Sunday at 9pm ET in the Globe for a conference with BW editors and newsmakers. Thanks again and goodnight!
Copyright 1995 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
