Although recently there has been a lot of talk about family-responsible companies, there are still very few that actually take practical measures to make it easier for their employees to balance working life with family life. According to the IFREI-2004 index, published by the International Center on Work and Family at IESE, more than 60% of Spanish companies consider themselves "family-responsible," and yet very few of them actually apply work-family conciliation measures.
The study is based on a questionnaire that was sent to human resource managers, and a survey of employees, known as IFROPAC. The data were obtained from the responses to these two questionnaires, backed up by interviews with the companies' personnel managers. The questionnaire was sent to 2,200 companies, of which 234 responded.
Employees give priority to work over family
As in previous editions, this year's survey results again confirm that if an employee finds herself in a situation where work and family conflict, she tends to give priority to work. At work, responsibilities are stricter, there are incentives, and employees know exactly where they stand, as there are clear rules and guidelines, unlike in most families. Added to this is the fact that the time that an employee spends with her family is not considered "quality time," because it is time that she uses to "recharge her batteries" in preparation for another hard day at work, rather than to be with her family.
Work-family conflict does not affect only the employee's job performance. Family tension, divorces, break-ups, and other incidents significantly affect the employee's attitude and productivity at work. In the world of employment, however, there are other conflicts which, while not necessarily very traumatic, nevertheless translate into specific problems. One of the most obvious is that of employee turnover. In the previous year's survey, it was apparent that companies have difficulties when it comes to transferring employees (10%); in hiring key employees (14%); with employees who refuse to travel (14.6%); absenteeism (16.3%); and stress (7.5%).
Flexible working hours
Of all the family-responsible policies, the most widespread is that of flexible working hours. There is a wide range of options, from short (half-hour) breaks to long (year-long) leaves of absence, depending on family needs.
The most popular are days off (81%), leave for urgent family matters (81%), time off for training (74%), leave to look after small children (73%), part-time working (49%), flexible working hours (71%), leave to take care of ill or disabled relatives (73%), and the option of reduced working hours (65%).
Also, 42% of the companies that responded to the survey guarantee their employees the right to return to their former position following extended leave of absence, and 49% have a policy of hiring substitutes during periods of leave to prevent colleagues having to shoulder the burden. Some companies try to create job flexibility by offering Internet access at home (45% of the companies offer it to all employees), video conferencing, or telework (41%).
Social benefits
Another finding of the IFREI-2004 study is that a high percentage of Spanish companies offer their employees social and other benefits, such as insurance or material assistance that may be of use to a family. For example, 77% of the companies in the sample offer insurance to all their employees; 56% provide meal tickets; 55% offer a pension plan; and 56% provide private medical insurance for the employee herself, her spouse, and her children.
There are also other policies aimed at lightening the burden on employees, such as company restaurants (65%), car parking (79%), and sports centers (32%). Strangely, not one of the companies that responded to the questionnaire has an in-house childcare center or crèche, although 26% offer financial assistance for private childcare, and a further 26% provide information about private childcare services, while 6% offer financial assistance for babysitters.
In certain cases, companies also offer professional support, ranging from training in specific skills to stress management, or legal, financial and psychological counseling.