five strategies to engage & retain working parents

Should I Stay or Should I Go?

Five Strategies to Engage and Retain Working Parents

Presented By:

Teresa Hopke - Life Meets Work Inc.Angela Wilks – O’Melveny & Myers

Vladimir Yelizarov – O’Melveny & Myers

Today’s Facilitators

Teresa HopkeLife Meets Work

Vladimir Yelizarov O’Melveny &

Myers

Angela Wilks O’Melveny &

Myers

Life Meets Work

We help organizations, employees and leaders at all levels prepare for and manage the changing world of work.

Services include:•Strategy Consulting, Program Design and Communications•Leadership Development to Improve Well-Being•Team Alignment Training•Women’s Leadership Programs•New Parent and Work Life Coaching

FWI National Study of the Changing Workforce

Work – Family Conflict

FWI National Study of the Changing Workforce

…of individuals in the workforce have acted as a caregiver over the past five years.

Northwestern Univ Study = Men & Family

Polling Question• Are you having a hard time retaining, engaging or recruiting

working parents? Check the options that are a challenge to you…

– Retaining– Engaging– Recruiting– None of the above– Other

What parents are saying…

I wish someone

would ask

about my wife,

family, dog…

I wish someone

would ask

about my wife,

family, dog…

I wish I didn’t have to

feel guilty for wanting to be an involved parent.

I wish I didn’t have to

feel guilty for wanting to be an involved parent.

I wish I didn’t have to hide my life outside of work when

talking with my clients.

I wish I didn’t have to hide my life outside of work when

talking with my clients.

What Working Parents Want

Source: FWI National Study of Changing Workforce & LMW Client Data

How You Can Support Working Parents

• Think through when and where the work needs to get done

• Offer flex hours to allow for reaching goals at home and work

• Offer the option to work at home from time to time

• Make it part of business process so they don’t feel singled out

5 Strategies to Engage and Retain Working Parents

• Offer resources and convenience benefits to help ease their stress and create more time

• Offer coaching to challenge their thinking and focus on solutions and action

5 Strategies to Engage and Retain Working Parents

• Offer Employee Resource Groups (ERGs)

• Make it easy for them to find each other

• Offer group coaching

5 Strategies to Engage and Retain Working Parents

• Help leaders create a strong team that can support the needs of working parents

• Provide coaching to help leaders understand how to better support working parents

5 Strategies to Engage and Retain Working Parents

• Consider and recognize both work and home obligations

• Help them manage their energy• Create and hold people

accountable for WorkLife goals

Best Practice Sharing….

•What else do you do to support working parents?

–Enter your responses in the Q&A feature

Thank you!

Additional Resources• New Parent Career Coaching -

http://www.lifemeetswork.com/services/new-parent-career-coaching/

• Working Dad Confessions - http://www.lifemeetswork.com/working-dad-confessions/

• Resources for Working Dads - http://www.lifemeetswork.com/resources-for-working-dads/

• Why ambitious women disconnect at work – and how to reconnect them – http://www.lifemeetswork.com/why-ambitious-women-disconnect-at-work-and-how-to-reconnect-them/

Contact InfoContact Info: Teresa HopkeSenior Vice President755 Silver Maple DriveNew Prague, MN 56071612-210-3803thopke@lifemeetswork.com