Family-friendly workplaces Jo Williams When you've got children, working for an employer that understands your needs as a parent can make a huge difference. But how do you find one?

Taking family commitments seriously

Businesses increasingly want to be seen as family friendly to ensure they get their share of the best recruits. But how do you tell which companies are really committed to making life easier for working parents and which are paying lip service to family-friendly policies?

What to look for

Actions speak louder than words. If you’re looking at any potential employer check out policies and workplace routines that will make it easier for you to work and deal with family commitments.

Any good employer should be upfront about its family-friendly policies.

Find out whether the organisation offers:

• Part-time or flexible working
• Working from home (if so, find out how many people are working this way)
• A workplace nursery, or other help for organising and/or paying for childcare
• A working parents' group (if not, what's the management's view on starting one?)
• Equal career opportunities for men and women
• The option for a career break

Find out about maternity and paternity leave, pay and conditions

You should also find out about maternity and paternity leave, pay and conditions. You might not be planning another baby but discovering how the company treats expectant parents will give you an insight into its general attitude to parenting.

Where to find the best

Some large companies pride themselves on their family-friendly policies and shout about it. Check out the websites of companies you're interested in and if they are family friendly they'll usually say so and outline what’s on offer.

Public sector organisations often have clear-cut commitments to family-friendly hours and conditions. Again, it should be easy to find out what policies they have and how they're handled.

However, smaller companies can be more difficult – with fewer staff, some of them argue it's harder to accommodate flexible working. Find out as much as you can about the company and get a feel for how much influence you could have as an employee to create a routine that works for you.

The charity Working Familiesruns an award scheme that identifies the best employers in the UK.

What to ask in an interview

Do you want to work for a company where going home before 7pm is frowned on or where you can’t get time off for your five-year-old’s first assembly?

A job interview is your opportunity to find out about the companies attitude to working parents so ask:

• What family-friendly policies do you have in place?
• Do people generally work beyond the end of their working hours?
• Do you have a workplace nursery and how many places do you have?
• How many women return to work after maternity leave?
• How many people work flexibly?

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