Family-friendly Employment: the business case

Bevan S, Dench S, Tamkin P, Cummings J | Research Report RR136 | Department for Education and Employment | Sep 1999

An important theme in current and emerging government policy is the importance of practices that allow individuals to combine employment and caring responsibilities.

Demands from employees are only likely to increase, and there are certainly costs involved in losing valuable workers because of their caring commitments.

These 'family-friendly' practices also have direct and measurable business benefits: reduced casual sickness absence, improved retention, productivity and recruitment, and improved morale and commitment.

Recognising these benefits can help overcome the fears in small to medium sized enterprises that family-friendly policies are costly, impractical or a threat to stability.

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