of BALANCEjuggling family with work in television

ViSIONS

©Australian Film Commission 2001

Design and Production Colorbox Design Group

All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this

publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in

any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise), without

the prior written permission of the Australian Film Commission, on behalf of the Women Working in

Television Industry Reference Group.

The information provided in this report has been drawn from a variety of sources. The author has

undertaken all reasonable measures to ensure its accuracy and therefore neither she nor the

publishers can accept any responsibility for inaccuracies or omissions, and specifically disclaim any

liability for any loss or risk, personal or otherwise, which is incurred as a consequence, directly or

indirectly, of the use and application of any of the contents of this book.

Australian Film Commission

Level 4, 150 William Street

Woolloomooloo NSW 2011

Telephone: (02) 9321 6444

Facsimile: (02) 9357 3714

Email: publications@afc.gov.au

Website: www.afc.gov.au

of BALANCEjuggling family with work in television

ViSIONSA publication of the Women Working in Television Project supported by

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ii

Acknowledgements

This publication was developed by the Women Working in Television Project and many people have been involved in

bringing it together.

All those who generously and enthusiastically contributed details of their particular work and family balance stories

are to be thanked: Fiona Crawford, Lorinda De Regt-Penn, Celina Edmonds, Judy Grant, Michael Greenwood, Therese

Hegarty, Alex Hodgkinson, Chris Hogg, Jacquelyn Hole, Gael Jennings, Barbara McCarthy, Milena McDonald, Adrianne

Pecotic, Cathy Rhodes, Sue Stephenson, Sally Stockbridge and Pam Witton. Kris Noble from the Nine Network, Janeen

Faithfull from the Seven Network, Sue Masters from Network Ten, Sandra Levy from the ABC and Jane Corden from

Moneypenny Services also contributed comments on the organisational benefits of considering the balance between

work and family.

The members of the Women Working in Television Industry Reference Group are to be wholeheartedly thanked for their

contributions to this publication, as well as their ongoing support and commitment to the career advancement of

women across Australian television: Maree Slater and Kaylie Moule from the Nine Network, Nicole McMahon from the

Seven Network, Alison Perry and Roslyn Reeves from Network Ten, Chrissie Tucker from the ABC, Krystyna Chawa from

SBS, Julie Flynn from FACTS, Susanne Larson from SPAA, and Leonie Morgan and Sabina Wynn from the Australian Film

Commission.

This publication was researched and written by Leonie Morgan for and on behalf of the Women Working in Television

Project.

©2001 Australian Film Commission

iiiViSIONSof BALANCE

ForewordWomen have made significant inroads into the Australian television industry and are now represented at all levels and

in all areas of the industry. However, one of the key remaining challenges for both the industry and individual

employers is to put in place effective strategies to accommodate work and family balance. While men are taking more

and more responsibility for family, it is still predominantly an issue for women and one which can significantly impact

on their career advancement.

It is with this in mind that strategies for balancing work and family have become the major focus for the Women

Working in Television Project in 2001.

The Women Working in Television Project was undertaken in response to research conducted by the Australian Film

Commission (AFC) in 1996/1997 into women’s participation and opportunities for career advancement within

Australian television. In partnership with the Nine Network, Seven Network, Network Ten, ABC, SBS, the Federation of

Australian Commercial Television Stations (FACTS) and the Screen Producers Association of Australia (SPAA), the AFC

has devised a series of initiatives designed to assist career development and networking opportunities. Initiatives to

date include:

Taking the Next Step – workshops for women in television aimed at developing skills in career planning, negotiation,

communication and mentoring.

A Lunch With… - a series of television industry networking lunches on a range of topics for a small group of

participants. Lunches have been hosted by each of the television networks and SPAA in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane

and Adelaide over the last three years.

Networking Forums – a series of breakfasts in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide which feature local, interstate

and international speakers and offer a networking opportunity to a large number of women.

Shared Visions – Women in Television, a publication containing interviews and personal anecdotes drawn from the

networking forums.

Visions of Balance – juggling family with work in television is the latest addition to these initiatives. This publication

is aimed at both men and women working at all levels within the television industry who are looking to juggle the

often competing demands of work and family responsibilities in order to achieve a healthier and more productive life

for all involved.

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CONTENTS

Acknowledgements ii

Foreword iii

Introduction 1

Family and work in television 2

The challenge 2

Some key things to consider 2

Views from senior industry managers 4

Keeping it all in balance 6

Making it work 6

Flexibility is the key 7

Managing the guilt 12

Dealing with the unusual hours 13

Travelling for work 16

What to do during the school holidays 18

Providing support for older dependents 19

Moving in and moving out 20

Where to go for more assistance 23

Achieving a better balance 23

The family friendly support that might work for you 23

Finding assistance with childcare 25

Accessing support tor older dependents 26

Other support that might be available 26

The assistance that may be available in your workplace 28

Other useful contacts and resources 31

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Introduction

The last two decades have seen major changes in Australian lifestyles and the relationship between work and

family life. The composition of the workforce has changed dramatically, as has the type of work undertaken in

Australia.

Women have progressively entered the workforce, and the accompanying shifts in the traditional role of men and

women have raised new issues for workers.

The idea that women will only work for short periods of time and are not interested in careers is no longer valid,

as is the idea that a mother will always be the one to take the major responsibility for childcare or for other

family responsibilities.

The television industry is just one sector within this wider Australian society. As is the case across all workplaces

today, many men and women in the television industry have responsibility for family care and yet many of the

employment conditions and practices have been largely designed with traditional roles in mind.

People working in the television industry who have responsibility for the care of a child or an older dependent will

sometimes find the difficulty of combining work and family so great that they may be forced to leave the

industry, either temporarily or permanently. However, even short breaks from television can disrupt ties and

personal networks sometimes making it difficult to get back into work. We know that the difficulties of combining

work and family are experienced most frequently by women and often coincide with the times when their careers

are gaining momentum. When the difficulty of maintaining the balance becomes too great, experienced people

and the skills and talent they bring to the industry are lost.

The changing needs of the television industry workforce require an outlook that can accommodate a wide range of

family circumstances and it is with this in mind that this booklet has been developed.

It is aimed at assisting women (and men) in the industry who wish to improve the balance between work and

family. It includes practical advice and information on balancing work and family, as well as case studies drawn

from real life experience working in television.

The case studies have been selected to show how a range of women working across the industry deals with

particular aspects of balancing work with their family responsibilities. In addition to the case studies, quotes from

women who have participated in Women Working in Television Project activities have been included throughout

the publication. They provide practical, real life examples for others who may be thinking of starting a family or

who may be looking for ideas of how to make their ‘work and family juggle’ less of a struggle.

However before reading on, it is important to note that:

• Every situation is different – what works for one person might not work for another.

• Any changes that are made at work will impact on others – work colleagues, managers and supervisors, as well

as families.

• The suggestions contained in this publication are just that…. suggestions!!!

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Family and work in televisionThe challenge

‘Work in this industry is a seven day commitment.’

‘For some people in this industry work has become their life.’

While the television industry is just one sector within the rapidly changing Australian workforce, the nature of work in

the industry makes it unique and as such there are particular challenges for people in maintaining their work and

family balance.

Differences exist from organisation to organisation, area to area and position to position, however working intelevision can involve:

• very long, unsociable and unpredictable hours

• seven day rosters or being ‘on call’

• irregular work and short notice of employment

• insecure employment with a steady increase in contract and casual work

• non-negotiable deadlines

• outside broadcasts

• little flexibility to telecommute or work from home in some positions that rely on sophisticated equipment

• travelling on location around the city, intrastate, interstate and overseas.

All of the above will impact on your ability to plan ahead, particularly as far as achieving a balance between work

and family is concerned.

Ensuring that assistance with balancing work and family is not only available but is used is therefore one of the key

challenges for the industry.

Some key things to consider

• Work and family is not just an issue for women

We know that both men and women are concerned about work and family balance as at one time or another in their

lives they all will have responsibility for family. While in many cases, women continue to take the major share of the

responsibility, in some instances fathers are taking care of children and other dependents, enabling women to

continue to work full-time in demanding careers in the television industry.

Many men working in the industry also say they are starting to think differently about their particular role in the

family and the contribution they wish to make to family life. They say they want to spend more time with their

children and other dependents and see issues in their workplace, such as the expectations of long working hours, as

the most critical factor preventing them from being the kind of fathers they want to be.

• Work and family is not just about childcare

The aging of the Australian population also presents challenges for people working in the television industry. It may

mean that they are more likely to care for, or be responsible for, elderly family members. It also means they might

need to respond to other family concerns such as the occasional care of a grandchild.

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• Family means different things to different people

When we talk about work and family in the television industry we need to consider a broad notion of ‘family’ and all

the challenges this entails. The traditional notion of a family as a mother and father, two children and a dog may

still apply in some cases. However in many families husbands, wives, partners, children, parents and others for whom

a person provides ongoing support, will all form part of ‘family relationships’. To only think of the family in its

narrowest sense does not take into account how diverse lifestyles and families have become. These changing needs

require an outlook that can accommodate a wide range of family circumstances.

Barbara McCarthy, a presenter on ABC TV News & Current Affairs in the Northern Territory, is someone who is meeting

many of these challenges. As well as immediate responsibility for two children, she also has wider kinship

responsibilities that she takes on as part of her cultural traditions. In the case study below she outlines how she

balances these family responsibilities with her work:

Finding the balance‘Mum, I can’t find my shoes .. where’s my socks .. you’ve spilt Milo

on my homework! .. Dad, phone for you .. mum, will you pick us

up .. can I go to baseball after school ..oh, but you said .. !"

At seven each weekday morning, our house is no different to the

chaos many families feel each working day around the world.

At seven each weeknight viewers will hear me tell them the latest in News and Current Affairs on ABC

Television. As journalists we strive for excellence in story telling, trying to find balance, and reporting with

objectivity.

But there’s one story they don’t hear, the one where I try to find balance with the needs of my children, the

cultural responsibilities as a Yanyuwa woman from the Gulf of Carpentaria, and my working life as a

journalist/presenter.

With two boys, CJ aged eight, and Grayson who is three years old, every day is filled with dramas. Then

there’s extended family responsibilities, caring for the children of my brothers and sisters, returning to

Borroloola, nearly 1000 kilometres south east of Darwin, for ‘sorry business’ and learning to live ‘within two

laws’, that of western and Yanyuwa ways.

As a journalist there is a pressure all of its own - DEADLINES. Stories to write, Interviews. Camera shoots,

edits, and presentation preparation. By 8 pm, I am deeply grateful to have got through another day.

The only way it works is to have support.

Mine comes from my husband, Norman, who is also a journalist, with cultural links to the Kuku Yalanji

people of Far North Queensland. Mum, who teaches the language and customs of our people to her

grandsons, and my work colleagues, who recognise the pressures placed upon me.

But the added gift of Yanyuwa spirituality, and the wisdom of the old people, helps me cope with the

challenges of each day, because of course the road of life is not a smooth one, for if it was, then it would

be too easy.

Barbara McCarthy - presenter on ABC TV News & Current Affairs in the Northern Territory.

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Views from senior industry managers

Not only is work and family balance an issue for employees, it is also an issue for management. The opinions of

senior industry managers were sought about the benefits of work and family balance and they responded as follows:

Attitudes have changed and balancing work with family responsibilities is a reality in theworkplace and in order to compete for and retain the best staff we must be flexible in ouremployment practices. Provided our people are aware of their work responsibilities andobligations to their colleagues, and they fulfil them, their individual work patterns are notan issue. The company benefits overall from a flexible and understanding workenvironment with higher levels of performance, reduced stress, increased company loyalty,etc, all good for the continued growth of the business.

Janeen Faithfull, Commercial Director - Network Programming and Production, Seven Network Limited

It's really of great benefit to us if work and family are taken into account. Staff havebetter career opportunities and can maintain their skills. There's the opportunity foremployees to focus on work rather than to be worried all the time about what ishappening at home and certainly their stress on the job is reduced. The ABC childcarecentre assists the organisation to attract and retain valued staff.

Sandra Levy, Director of Television, ABC

Production of television often demands long hours and total commitment. In manyinstances this doesn't leave much time for family and other priorities. Ten wants toencourage emerging talent, retention of key team members and the maximisation ofresources put into training and development and so will continue to actively considerstrategies for work, family and personal balance.

Sue Masters, Head of Drama, Network Ten

Film and television is a people business, dependent on unique, personal skills. The loss ofone individual can change the face of an entire production. So being sensitive to anemployee's need to balance work and family means we are able to ensure that ourtalented and experienced people stay with Nine. Our consideration is reciprocated withless unplanned absences and better staff morale. It's a win/win situation for everyone.

Kris Noble, Head of Drama, Nine Network

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And finally a view from a senior manager in the independent sector:

Managing family and career in theindustry - Flexibility is the key wordSignificant proportions of the people working for Moneypenny

Services are women. My understanding of the difficulties of

continuing to work in this industry with a family and my

desire to hold on to the skill base that we have developed

over the years has led me to seek opportunities and establish systems that can fit in with those demands.

Thus Moneypenny has taken on an increasing amount of documentary and low budget projects.

These productions cannot afford a full-time accountant and often don’t have the space to accommodate even

a part-time one. We therefore offer part-time options often managed by fax and email from the accountant’s

home. This works well for both the accountant and the client. Post production for the accountant can be a

long term proposition going on for six months or more on an increasingly casual basis. For those who want

to work full-time this is hard to juggle so we now have a team of people with the need for flexibility, largely

mums who take over the post production and have developed more specialised knowledge in this area.

I believe flexibility is a key word. The ability to adapt the nature of your work and workplace to the

different stages and the flexibility of your partner and children makes the juggling of the two possible

without an inordinate amount of stress.

Jane Corden is Managing Director of Moneypenny Services. Moneypenny employs 45 full and part-time

production accounting personnel to provide accountants to the majority of Australian feature films and TV

productions. Moneypenny has accountants resident in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide and accounts

for around 50 productions of varying scale each year.

Clearly it is to everyone’s advantage that the industry, from the television networks to the independent production

companies, takes into account work and family balance.

As well as this, it is the law that work and family issues must be addressed. At both the state and federal levels, the

relevant Equal Opportunity and Sex Discrimination Acts state that it is against the law for some employees to be

treated differently to others because of their parental and carer status.

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Keeping it all in balance

‘At its worst there are moments of pure panic and, at its best, moments of absolute joythat the balancing act can actually work.’

Although there are often major challenges to meet, achieving a balance between work and family is possible for

women working in television.

Making it work

‘Before you have a family you can’t imagine how you’ll ever do it all, but then they’rethere and you have to try and make it work for you.’

Celina Edmonds is Network Ten’s Perth News Presenter and mother to three year old Hugo and two year old Darcy. She

returned to work when her children were four months old. Although she admits that being a working mother is the

most difficult job she’s ever done, she says it is possible but requires ‘military style organisation’.

Here are her hints for new mothers or mothers-to-be on how to make the ‘Balancing Act’ actually work.

Hints for how to make that‘Balancing Act’ work for you!!!• Look at how your job might help you be a good mum

Life is about to change. Don’t be one of those people who

boldly say `Having a baby isn’t going to affect my life!’ It

does. It will. Trying to continue your pre-baby life and be a

working mum is a recipe for insanity. Look at options for part-

time, job share or shift work. Fortunately, or unfortunately, television is one of those industries that has

some unusual hours. Try to make it work for you.

• Find the most flexible childcare option

There’s nothing worse than a galloping deadline – whether it’s the story you’re trying to do or the fact that

the childcare centre closes in ten minutes and you’re still at work! Look at options like family Day Care, a

nanny, sharing a nanny, etc. Conventional childcare centres sometimes don’t suit the unconventional world

of television. Local councils are the best place to start exploring childcare options.

• Join a Mothers’ Group

Soon after your baby is born, your Baby Health Clinic will probably offer to put you into a Mothers’ Group.

Do it! They are some of the best friends you will ever make. They can also be great people to organise

sharing a nanny or setting-up a babysitting club.

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• Keep in touch with your children!

No one beats Mum or Dad! Work so often involves extras that can eat into your time with your children.

Unfortunately doing overtime, going to dinners or work functions often means sacrificing time with the

kids. Being a working mum means you either have to say `No’ sometimes, or you’ll have to re-introduce

yourself to your children. And the kids will soon let you know they don’t like your absence by being as

naughty as possible when you are around!

• Expect that the `wheels will fall off’!

Being a working mum is a fine balancing act, and it only takes one thing to go wrong and everything falls

in a heap - this happens, for example, when either you or the children are sick. Or if the nanny is sick! It’s

in these cases that often you (or your partner) just have to accept that you won’t be able to go to work

that day. Surrender!

Celina Edmonds - Network Ten’s Perth News Presenter

Flexibility is the key

‘Flexibility is so important in everything. It’s not about how long you spend at work, it’sabout getting the job done.’

The key word in maintaining work and family balance is flexibility – whether it be flexibility on the part of your

partner and family, your work colleagues or your manager, and of course don’t forget about your own willingness to be

flexible.

If your job allows, you might like to try working more flexibly. Flexible work arrangements can include working part-

time, job sharing, and working some of the time from home.

What to do if you want more flexible work arrangements

If you are thinking of changing your work hours to better balance work and family, it is important to look at all the

issues and to remember that what works in one part of the television industry may not work in another:

• The extent of the flexibility you can bring to your own working arrangements will depend on balancing your needs

with the needs of your employer and your work unit, as well as the needs of your work colleagues. Working in

television you will know that the program needs to go to air at a specific time and any workplace flexibility will be

balanced around the time-lines for the production.

• Remember - the needs of your employer and work unit will vary, as will the capacity to accommodate your

individual needs.

• The type of work you do may also limit the range of flexible work arrangements that are possible – for example,

your ability to work from home may well be limited if you are a camera person or an on air personality.

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So what should you consider when setting out to talk about the possibility of flexible work arrangements with your

manager?

• Firstly identify the factors in your life that are influencing your decision to better balance your work, life and family

needs.

• Consider the actions you could take to improve the balance. Remember that changing your work arrangements may

not be the best action, or certainly the only action, you can take to maintain a better balance. There could be

things you could try at home such as talking with your partner about taking more of the responsibility or looking at

other childcare arrangements such as sharing a nanny.

• Put together a really well thought out case for flexibility. Present a list of possible options for flexible work or

leave arrangements that accommodate your particular circumstances and family responsibilities, as well as ensuring

that the work still gets done. You know it’s all about balance!!

• List the benefits to you and to your work unit, manager and the organisation.

• Make sure you realistically assess what you are willing to compromise on and make this your fall back position.

Above all:

• Make sure you are confident and assertive.

• Know your particular skills and what you actually bring to the job.

• Know your market value and never undersell yourself.

• Know what hours and days you are able to work in order to maintain your sense of yourself and your family balance.

• Always be flexible and calm in your approach.

And remember that if approved, your flexible working arrangements should be periodically reviewed and fine tuned to

continue to be successful for you, your work unit and the organisation. For example, you may wish to switch back to

full-time work when your children go to school. Good communication is important to the success of any flexible work

arrangement.

The following three ‘real life’ examples illustrate how and why flexible work arrangements were instituted, what these

achieved and what made for their success.

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The first example is a roster share arrangement that was developed at the ABC, Brisbane. It shows that even at very

senior levels in television and in such busy and deadline focussed work units as television newsrooms, flexibility does

work for both staff and management.

Rotating roster in the NewsroomTeena Girdis and I were working as the Executive Producers of the

ABC TV News in Brisbane. I worked four 11 hour days, and Teena

three. I have twin boys and Teena has three children. We worked

out a rotating roster to achieve several aims:

• We would only be away from our children for a maximum three

days at a time - important we felt for continuity and keeping in touch, maintaining discipline etc.

• We would only work every second weekend to allow us to have fairly normal social lives.

• We had week days off to allow us to do pre-school, playgroup rosters.

• The newsroom had access to a senior producer seven days a week, eliminating the traditional ‘a team’ and

‘b team’ feel - where the ‘b team’ get to work on the weekends.

• By working weekends, the childcare bill was reduced a bit with dads and grandparents stepping in to

provide the care.

The roster worked like this. One week I would work Monday, Tuesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The

following week I'd work Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Teena worked Wednesday and Thursday one week

and Monday, Tuesday, Saturday and Sunday the following week.

When we proposed it, there was some resistance mainly from male managers – they asked who was the main

producer, they said they wanted the one person Monday through Thursday so they knew who was there etc

etc. But after a couple of months they accepted that it suited the newsroom well AND provided some

personal satisfaction for a couple of working mothers.

And yes …the arrangement continues here in Brisbane. The other producer now is a man, and he thoroughly

enjoys the mix of weekends and weekdays off as he has two young children too. So it's been in place for

about eight years now I think. And I encourage other ABC editors to use it as a model.

Fiona Crawford is State Editor, News and Current Affairs with the ABC, Brisbane

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The second example not only shows how permanent part-time work can work for everyone in the workplace –

providing personal satisfaction while ensuring work goals are met, it also shows how important it is for everyone

involved to work together to come up with a solution to work/family balance.

It’s a matter of give and takeMilena McDonald works in the videotape library at Nine NetworkSydney Operations. When she was ready to return to work after thebirth of her first baby she approached her manager, MikeGreenwood, about the possibility of part-time work. After a reviewof the work priorities and discussion with Human Resources at

Nine it was mutually agreed that she would work on a permanent part-time basis two days per week. Thisarrangement is working very smoothly.

Both Mike and Milena preferred permanent part-time to casual work. From Milena’s perspective she gets tokeep her job and can still access sick leave and her holidays. From Mike’s perspective he gets to keep anexperienced staff member who really wants to work. He also thinks it’s important to set an example andshow others that there are opportunities for work after children and that there is support for womenbalancing work and family.

So why does it work so well?

Milena sees the following as the key success factors:

Supportive Management

Both Mike and my direct supervisor have been terrific. They understand if I have problems and they makesure it all works really well.

Communication

All my work colleagues are really supportive. They let me know if there are any changes and things seem toalways tick along very smoothly.

Flexibility

It’s a matter of give and take. If the tape library is short staffed over the weekend, I’m prepared to comeinto work. I’m always prepared to do extra when I can. When you put in, you get things back in return.

Good quality childcare

I was able to come back when Jamie was four months because I’ve got terrific childcare – my mother and mymother in law take turns in looking after him and that means I don’t have to worry when I’m at work.

Mike thinks it works well because:

There’s give and take

Milena works in a busy Network environment that thrives on face to face contact. From my perspective thearrangement is successful due to Nine benefiting from Milena’s experience in her particular area, her willingnessto work, her ability to interact with Nine’s personnel and her knowledge of Nine’s work practices. These positivefeatures are not always forthcoming with freelance personnel who tend to work in a more detached manner.

Milena sets a great example to others

Milena’s status at Nine provides a positive example to women currently working at Nine who arecontemplating having children.

Milena McDonald is the Tape Librarian and Mike Greenwood the Operations Manager at Nine Network Sydney.

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The third example is drawn from a television production company and shows how being flexible can make for more

efficiency in the office and greater satisfaction at home.

Working flexibly - you really needto make each minute count !!!The family responsibilities I have include Nicholas (2) and Louisa (4).

I took six months maternity leave after each child was born and

for me this worked very well – I think I would have found it more

difficult to return to work had I been away longer.

Since having the children I have modified the way I work, and Beyond has been supportive and flexible

regarding the changes. I am office based four days per week, and home based on Mondays, contactable via

mobile or email if needed. I try to get a (very) early start in the office one day per week to get through the

paperwork build up. I use a laptop computer and have Internet connection from home so if I have to walk

out of the office with something urgent pending it’s easy for me to pick it up later on that night once the

children are in bed. I find technology such as laptops, mobile phones and the internet, enormously helpful

in juggling the time needed for work and the time needed for family.

Most days I need to leave the office around 6pm and this in particular was something I found very difficult

to deal with in my first days back at work after maternity leave. When you know you HAVE to walk out of

that office at a set time each day you need to make each minute count. You really need to become very

efficient during work hours.

Achieving a balance is of course very personal – for me the first step was achieving a balanced outlook.

Not feeling guilty about leaving the children to go to work, and not feeling stressed about leaving work to

spend time with the children. It helps to have the full support of your employer, it helps being organised

both domestically and at work, and if you can afford it, it helps to have help (cleaning, ironing, cooking –

whatever).

Therese Hegarty is Group Production Manager for Beyond Productions which produces all genres of television,

with a focus on documentary, infotainment and reality based projects. Therese oversees the operational,

administrative and business affairs aspects of the production company and subsidiary post production

facilities.

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Managing the guilt

‘For me, it’s about making a conscious decision to leave work at the time I need to gohome to spend time with my family.’

‘School holidays are a major guilt trip for me, I don’t want to have my child in schoolholiday programs all year round.’

I know we must be doingsomething right!!!!My beautiful daughter is 12 years old. She is the light of my lifeand I cannot imagine my life without her. However I also relishmy career in television. I have never lost the passion for working

in TV, and I have decided that when I stop feeling the way I do now, it’s time to say stop now.

So, how do I balance my life? I must say with much regret more often than not, I don’t. The part of my lifethat suffers is my home life. Which brings me to the first word I thought of when I was asked to write thispiece – guilt.

I took ten months off from my then role at Channel Nine when I had Amelia. I returned to the workforce on afour days a week basis. The guilt was horrible. I had a baby at home with my wonderful parents who took careof her sometimes better than I did, and a gorgeous husband who had always supported my decision to return tothe workforce. But I wasn’t there when she cut her first tooth, when she fell over and hurt herself, or the manythings babies or toddlers do for the first time in their lives. The things full-time mums at home get to see.However, I also knew that I was not cut out for staying at home. I knew if I had chosen that path, my home lifewould have suffered as well.

I increased my working week to a full five days after about a year and half. I was very conscious ofreturning to the workforce and being focused on the job whilst at work, to the point that I tried not to talkabout my daughter to my fellow workers. I was ambitious enough to want to move up the company ladder,but I was also concerned if management thought of me as first a mum, and not an executive, I would beoverlooked for promotion.

In hindsight, I realise I may have been a little paranoid! So today I’m of the opinion most enlightened andwell-run companies will reward your labours and ambitions accordingly, regardless of your parental status.

I made a firm commitment that when Amelia started school, she and it would be my priority. If I need to taketime away from the office to be with her for school, or if she is ill – she comes first. I know most companiesthese days have no problem with this – and I certainly have not had any with my current employer.

I don’t feel as guilty these days because I know my daughter is a well adjusted, happy child, so both myhusband and I must be doing something right.

I am spoilt I know, because of the fantastic support my husband and parents give me, and I know it must bevery tough for people who aren’t as fortunate as me.

So in closing, the guilt has never gone away, I’m just more comfortable with it.

Cathy Rhodes is the General Sales Manager – Victoria for Network Ten.

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Mothers and guilt, these are things that seem to go together like oranges and apples or salt and pepper. We hear a

lot about the women who seem to have it all. A fulfilling career, a happy marriage and well behaved, responsive

children. But there will always be someone who you think is doing more or who thinks you should do more …

Guilt also comes from the family – from children who will often say ‘I wish you didn’t have to go to work’ or ‘I’m the

only one whose mum won’t be there’. It also might come from grandparents or your own mother, particularly if they

didn’t work in jobs outside the home.

There’s also the guilt of not being there for your partner … there’s not much left after work and children.

Some hints to help with those feelings of guilt:

• It’s usually someone else who makes you feel guilty…try not to take on board their problems or their choice of

lifestyle.

• Talk your feelings over with your partner and your friends and analyse the situation together.

• Remember that guilt is a useless emotion. Try to get it into perspective.

• And remember that if the feelings of guilt are because you feel you’re not doing either job properly – work or

family, you might think about adopting the ‘80% is good enough rule’.

Dealing with the unusual hours

‘You share. You try this and you try that.’

‘If I didn’t have my mum and dad, I don’t know what I would do.’

One of the major issues that defines the television industry is the unusual and often family unfriendly hours –

whether it’s a case of working shift work, starting early or working round the clock on rotating shifts – these hours

certainly do impact on people’s ability to maintain the balance of work and family.

Unusual working hours also mean that specific and individual solutions need to be made to the work and family

balance challenge. For example, people with under school age children will find that childcare that operates outside

‘regular hours’ can be difficult to get and costly to maintain. With the exception of a few extended hours childcare

centres, most usually operate for a limited number of hours per day and while a Family Day Carer may be willing to be

more flexible, it is often difficult to get childcare at short notice or for extended periods.

However, sometimes these seemingly unusual hours may work to the benefit of work and family balance.

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Starting early and finishing earlyMy work hours are 4am - 12.30pm Monday to Friday. I direct two

national news programs (‘Sunrise’ 6am - 7.30am and ‘Seven

Morning News’ 10.30am - 11am). This shift, as well as being

perfect hours for me and mentally challenging, means I have more

time with my son without feeling my career is being compromised.

It is very important to have good childcare and to look for this

childcare very early (start when you are still pregnant). I have a wonderful Family Day Care mother who

looks after my son from 8am until 12.30pm. She is very flexible if work commitments mean I need her

outside these times.

A supportive partner is also a must; my husband is responsible for organising our son of a morning and

getting him to the Day Carer.

I don't ever feel I have the balance absolutely right, but it is the best I can do at the moment. My priorities

have completely changed so the direction my career is taking has changed with this.

Chris Hogg is the Director of ‘Sunrise’ for the Seven Network in Sydney.

Sharing the LoadIt's great to acknowledge the difficulties of working parents. It is

tough, but I'm one of those who believes the two can co-exist.

I'm not sure I'd be a five day a week working mum if it weren't

for shift work. When Seven's News Director Ian Cook called me on

maternity leave to ask if I'd return to Late News... he basically

solved all my childcare problems. I really wanted to return to a

position with responsibility... but I also wanted to spend as much

time at home with my son as possible. Working evenings means I can have both.

Zack and I spend most of the day playing... then I hand over to a fabulous nanny... who hands over to my

husband a couple of hours later. I may get home late... but after 16 months the lost sleep doesn't seem to

have hurt too much.

Probably where I'm luckiest, is having a husband so willing to ‘share the load’. Because I get such little

sleep……... David gets up to Zack whenever he wakes at night... and he's up with him when he's ready to

start his day at 5.30-6am. Sharing the feeding, nappy changing and washing has never been an issue. He's

also a terrific entertainment director. And, much to the disgust of many women, David's contribution to

housework goes way beyond putting out the garbage. And he too works five days a week.

In fact, David insisted we split parental leave and with another one on the way, we're about to do it all over again.

Sue Stephenson is Channel Seven's ‘Late News’ Producer .

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And then there’s the challenge of shift work – working rotating shifts means that specific strategies need to be in

place to make balancing work and family at all possible.

Balancing childcare and shift workWorking as Presentation Co-ordinator at Nine in Melbourne means my work commitments include shift work.

The hours I work do not always run on a rotating basis. This means I have to plan my childcare

arrangements carefully and on occasions without a great deal of notice.

My shift times vary. They range from 5:30am-1:00pm/1:00pm-8:30pm/8:30pm-4:00am and when I am

working in the office as Presentation Scheduler my hours are 9:00am-6:00pm onwards. The days I work can

vary as well, which means I may work anywhere from five to ten days in a row, followed by anything up to

four days off. I work in a small department and when we are short staffed my roster can change with only a

few hours notice. It is also not unusual to work the occasional RDO.

So how do I do it? The only way I am able to manage is because my husband (Steve) and I share the care for

Liam our nine month-old son. We have worked out a routine - I work my rostered week at Nine and Steve looks

after Liam. On my first day off, Steve continues looking after Liam (while I rest). On the following day I take

charge of Liam and it’s Steve’s turn to rest. So we each have a day off from all work (including childcare).

When I work night shift, Steve ensures Liam is kept occupied and reasonably quiet so as not to disturb my sleep.

Sleep is extremely important. If at anytime Steve is ill we tend to rely on family and friends to help us out.

Good time management is really important. In the last nine months I have had to cope with a lot of

different scenarios (work and family) and I have managed quite well. One thing I had to accept was that I

no longer had the time to be as fanatical with the housework. It will always be there waiting for me or

Steve, but our little bundle of joy will not wait. Steve has been wonderful; he has taken on the male mum

role really well. He is very supportive and enjoys being home with Liam. This is vital in coping with the

pressures of being a shift worker.

My family always comes first, then my work. I have found it is really important to know my limits. Our social

life is last and is on hold for the moment, but that is our choice.

My work colleagues are terrific. Most of them have families and know what kind of pressures I am under.

They are flexible with swapping shifts and if one of us is going to be half an hour late because of family

issues, someone will work a little longer and the favour will be returned when needed. We all give and take

and rely on each other.

The good thing about being a shift worker is that I get days off during the week and when Liam starts

school, Steve and I will be able to take him on his first day.

The number one issue for me in maintaining my work and family

balance is getting enough sleep to cope with both work and my

child. I love my son and I enjoy my job so it all just gets done.

But I really don’t think I’d be able to keep up my job at Nine if

Steve had a full-time job too.

Lorinda De Regt-Penn is Presentation Co-ordinator with Nine in

Melbourne

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Travelling for work

‘You need to be really super organised and it helps to have a partner who’s supportive andable to share some of the care.’

In an industry that covers the whole of Australia and with most of the industry senior management based in Sydney,

there will be a consequent demand on some employees to travel frequently to destinations around the continent.

While this may be exciting and involving at the beginning of a job, it can become a difficult lifestyle to maintain,

particularly if a person has family responsibilities. It takes planning and organisation.

Routines, rules and responsibilitiesI could not have taken the job I have if my children were not

at the stage they are. Both are early teens and are becoming

more independent in getting themselves to and from school.

Even so, I couldn’t do it without the support of my husband.

We both have jobs that require us to travel. He does interstate

and overseas, I’m just interstate. I resist any requirement to go

overseas unless it’s unavoidable, or it’s a visit to my family in Canada. Naturally, this means I prefer lots of

notice of any travel so we can compare diaries. This generally works out pretty well but we recently had an

awful stuff up.

I was scheduled to travel to Tasmania for a conference and my husband was scheduled to return from Hong

Kong the same day. He would fly in at 6am, I would fly out at 11. Unfortunately, I was already in Tasmania

when I discovered my husband had been too ill to take his scheduled flight and had to catch a later one.

This meant the kids were home alone and I felt terrible about it. They were happy to treat it as an

adventure, but even so, my husband and I alternated talking with them on the phone all night, until they

went to bed. My conference colleagues were fascinated with this open line conversation with my children

and some even engaged them in conversation to assist. Guilt was on full tilt.

On the more practical side of things, we rent in Sydney so we always locate ourselves near transport for the

kids. This is for their social lives as well as their school lives. It’s important that they are able to move

around whether we are there to drive them or not. They can engage in sport and have friends visit without

needing a full-time taxi on hand. There are firm rules in place on where, when, what and who and the boys

are very good at observing them. They are responsible for making sure their school work is up to date and

all homework taken care of before the entertainment begins.

We alternate with the evening meal cooking. Often my husband is home earlier than I am so he gets things

underway. I shop every weekend and occasionally get a rush of blood to the head and cook a range of meals in

advance to freeze. It makes life easier during the week, but it can really put a dent in a weekend! All of the

week’s ironing is done during the Sunday evening movie and if it needs to come out again, it won't be me doing it!

So basically this is how we make it work: routines, rules and responsibilities. We all have a role to play in

making it work and everyone in the house has taken that on board.

Judy Grant is the ABC Production Resources Manager for Northern Australia. Her area of responsibility covers all ABC

production facilities in New South Wales, ACT, Northern Territory and Queensland.

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While travelling for work around Australia and maintaining family responsibilities is difficult at times, travelling for

work requires even more organisation when it involves travelling around the world. Here are some thoughts from Alex

Hodgkinson, Senior Producer with the Nine Network who has worked as a travelling producer with ‘60 Minutes’ for the

past eleven years. Alex is also mother to nine and half year old Charlotte.

Learn to go with the flowBe flexible. Since kindergarten I have alternated between after school care and an after school nanny,

depending on Charlotte’s needs at the time. Be prepared … your child may need a change just when you

least need it. And this could happen a few times a year. Listen to her, and sift through the issues at her

level. She shouldn’t be expected to modify her emotions to fit your work schedule, even if you have to!

Try to attend as many of your child’s school barbecues, parades and performances as you possibly can,

especially in the first few years. Even if it’s just for an hour. Easter Hat Parades and Christmas Concerts are

memories that you and your child will cherish, and it’s a great way of meeting other parents. If you can’t

make an event, be honest with your child, and give them plenty of time to be upset and talk to you about

things. Don’t do it at the last minute - or worse, after the event. They will get over it if you’re straight up

with them.

Keep it simple. If you have to travel with your work like I do, it’s best not to have too many ‘handovers’. I

am fortunate to have a wonderful family willing to care for Charlotte while I am away. Organising her school

and social arrangements before I leave, let alone the house and the pets, is always a major chore, but

necessary. I have found that while relatives are happy to follow an organised calendar and contact list, they

are not that interested in the planning side of things! I also find that they run things quite differently to

me, and rarely to my carefully constructed plan. This can be annoying, but learn to just go with their flow

and be extremely grateful. Otherwise you will go mad!

If you are a long way away, try not to sound that way on the phone. Charlotte and I have a routine of

speaking every day I’m away, at least once. On my last trip that meant me waking every morning at 1am to

discuss homework and friends. She is always interested to hear my stories after I’ve heard hers, so these are

never short calls, but they are worth it!

Being away from your child can be gut wrenching. And it has been my experience that some family, friends

and colleagues can be quick to criticise your "unnatural" career

choice. Don’t listen to them. Do listen to yourself and those

close to you though, and if the balance between work and

family is out of kilter, be brave and try to make a change to

your work arrangements. Life’s too precious to be clouded by

regret.

Alex Hodgkinson, Senior Producer with the Nine Network’s

‘60 Minutes’.

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What to do during the school holidays

‘Anything that can be done, I can do with my mobile phone. I keep in contact withthem. I don’t know what people did before we had mobiles.’

If you think organising childcare for small children is difficult, wait till you have children at school – most likely

school will begin around nine and finish around four, and there will be about ten weeks or so of holidays a year when

you will need to find childcare.

If you have primary school age children, you will usually be able to find before and after school care, as well as

holiday/vacation care programs. These programs include supervised recreational activities and are usually provided in

primary schools, community centres or halls. Attendance can be regular or casual and to find out more about these

you should contact your local school or local council.

For those with teenagers, it may be more difficult. As they get older, children will be more and more reluctant to

attend vacation care programs, even if they are available and age appropriate. They may well prefer to stay home

alone and while they may be old enough to do this, it brings its own set of problems such as not knowing what they

are up to and who they might be doing it with… There are no easy answers here: trust, extended family and mobile

phones may go some way towards meeting this challenge.

Here’s how Sally Stockbridge, the Senior Program Classifier at Network Ten and her eleven year old daughter Cassandra

deal with life during the school holidays.

School holidays and noveljuggling experiencesAs a sole parent I’ve always needed to juggle arrangements

between work and childcare. Over time I’ve developed a

number of strategies to cope which I will outline here.

The most important thing is a family friendly workplace, and a flexible occupation also helps. As Senior

Program Classifier (Chief Censor to the uninitiated) I can work at home occasionally if my child is ill, and I

can bring her into work during school holidays or mild sick days because I have my own office. Since I watch

TV for a living some of my daily tasks are particularly appealing for my daughter and she’s happy to share

the work.

When I started at TEN I had a mother living close by who could help out. She now lives near Goulburn but

this becomes a holiday destination during school holidays, especially the long Christmas vacation period.

While she’s still in primary school my daughter is more than happy to spend some of her holidays with

Grandma.

The most novel juggling experience we’ve had together was working on ‘Big Brother’ on the Gold Coast in

April 2001. I went up to oversee the classification needs at the start of the program and train an assistant

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to take over from me. This was during the school holidays. I was flown up and accommodated in a one

bedroom apartment. During this period I flew my daughter up to stay with me. As an 11 year old she was

old enough to look after herself in the hotel pool or to come in to Dreamworld with me. My assistant Vanda,

also a sole parent with a 13 year old daughter, teamed her daughter up with mine to enjoy the theme park

while we worked.

However flying interstate or working late nights can often be harder to manage than school holiday care.

Working on ‘Good News Week’ for example meant that my daughter went to stay overnight once a week or

once a fortnight with a school friend whose mother is a friend of mine. Wherever I’ve worked, girlfriends

have been the biggest source of help if grandparents haven’t been available. It also means that my daughter

has been comfortable with friends rather than babysitters.

Sally Stockbridge is the Senior Program Classifier at Network Ten.

Providing support for older dependents

‘It just means I have to make an occasional phone call, or take a morning off work totake my mum to a medical appointment.’

As the Australian population ages, so we will be more likely to have responsibility for an older dependent – whether it

be mother, father, aunt, uncle or friend for whom we provide support.

The extent of the care you will need to provide to an older dependent will vary according to their needs. It might

just mean that you make the occasional phone call or visit to check on the safety or welfare of an aging relative or

friend. You may need to help them from time to time, accompanying them to a medical appointment or assisting

with household tasks such as grocery shopping or paying bills. Or you might provide personal care such as bathing,

feeding, or grooming to an older adult who needs assistance.

Although the level of support you provide and the impact this has on your work might not be as all consuming as

that which you provide for a young child, it will require some modification to your daily routine.

It may mean that you need to access some flexibility at work. It also might mean that you feel extra stress at work.

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Other people’s stories can often be of assistance. See below Pam Witton’s story of how she balances her work as a

producer with the Seven Network in Adelaide with providing care for her father.

Caring for my DadMy Dad, Bill Bain, has Alzheimer's Disease. This was officially

diagnosed in l999 although we had suspected there was a

problem long before the diagnosis. Dad is 82 years old and also

has emphysema, gout, arthritis in the knees, cataracts,

glaucoma and is often incontinent. Dad lives in an independent

unit within a Retirement Village. He receives a Community Care

Package which means carers come in once a day to put drops in his eyes, serve his lunch which is delivered

by Meals on Wheels and do his cleaning.

I am lucky in that the care of Dad is divided amongst four of us - I have three sisters. However I live the

closest to his residence so I tend to be the first one contacted. We have divided the various responsibilities

for his care. I liaise with the social worker, organise his finances, including paying his Meals on Wheels, look

after his clothing, spend time with him and take him on outings. Two of my other sisters are teachers, so

they take care of the medical appointments during their holidays eg cataract operations, X-rays, check-ups.

My main contact with the carers and the social workers comes through phone calls, emails and faxes, often

at work. Face to face contact is very limited as I tend to work at least 40 hours a week, often more. I can,

however, arrange for flexibility of hours eg Dad tends to have crises from time to time which require urgent

and immediate attention. Depending on the severity for example getting lost whilst shopping, losing his car

(he no longer drives but became lost two years ago for twelve hours whilst driving one kilometre and ended

up 60 kilometres away) becoming distressed and confused and ringing me at work panicking. I am fortunate

that some of my work can be done at home, however I am always at work between business hours.

Weekends are often taken up with keeping him company as he does enjoy visits and outings.

There are many times I feel I am not doing enough for my Dad and perhaps should give up work to care for

him. My mother-in-law is also widowed and invalid so it would be a full-time occupation between the two

of them. Their health, welfare and dependency are a day to day situation, which I constantly monitor. If

need be I will take long service leave if the situation becomes more critical. I am really lucky to be in a

situation where I know the people with whom I work would be accommodating and understanding and I can

work flexible hours.

Pam Witton is the Producer of ‘The Book Place’ for Seven Adelaide. She also has two grown-up children, the

younger of whom lives at home.

Moving in and moving out

‘The television culture is that you have to be there all the time, when you are wanted youhave to drop everything – sometimes you just cannot do this if your family is important toyou too.’

One of the major things that people tell you about the television industry is that most jobs are gained throughpeople you know or have worked with in the past – your networks. If you move out of the industry, even for a short

21ViSIONSof BALANCE

time to have a baby or to care for a sick family member, the fear is that you may lose your contacts and networks andfind it difficult to get back in again.

However, there are strategies you can put in place to help maintain contacts and to hopefully ensure there will be a

job for you when you want to return.

Hints for how to move back in after moving out –from someone who’s been there and back..• Have a niche expertise. I got my first television job and continued working because I offered something

others didn't - a science/medicine PhD, experience in reproductive medicine, HIV, etc as well as the obligatory

TV 'on camera/communication' THING. I worked at this consciously;

finishing my PhD (instead of throwing in the towel) and working in

controversial areas of science and medicine as part of a five year plan.

• Stay friends with, and in contact with colleagues (only when you

like them!!) Being in that net of knowing what's happening at the

office, in the organisation, gives you a way to measure whether

management style/personnel is to your liking and what new shows or

projects are coming up.

• NEVER leave on bad terms. Even if people are really difficult

DO NOT SHOW IT. Be gracious; remember you will always come back!!

• Take on lots of different things if you are offered. Do panels, speeches, be on Boards,

do different kinds of media, all of it leads to contacts and visibility which will facilitate

re-entry.

• Likewise this makes you multi-skilled and flexible, which makes your career a lot more fun, opens

up avenues you may love that you would never have thought of, gives you flexibility, and leads

to a much wider range of options if and when you want back into TV.

• For me, I have just lain fallow once or twice when totally exhausted.

I've found that a highly visible, highly stressful work environment often requires a fallow

period. When I left something to get some rest, I made sure I didn't go straight back

to the same thing - I changed tack and did something different.

• Never sell yourself short, either in ethics, integrity, social commitment, a commercial rate

or level of expertise.

• I have really tried to always act professionally, try to be easy to work with, low maintenance,

so that when all things are equal, 'I will be the best candidate'.

So create and maintain your networks and contacts, stand out, be flexible, be easy to work with, stay IN the

industry in some form so you know who/what/how/when it's all happening, get your rights discreetly sorted

out early…don't get bitter, don't sell yourself short, have a life OUTSIDE of TV or you'll go mad.

Gael Jennings is Melbourne based but has worked for both ABC and SBS as a national television journalist for

much of her career. She has three children.

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It may not be necessary to sever all ties with your employer when you need to take time for family care. It is also

possible to maintain links with the workplace. Adrianne Pecotic is in a senior management role with Grundy

Television – here she tells how she kept involved at a senior level in the company while balancing her commitments

to a new baby.

Moving in and moving out - beflexible, realistic and thinklaterallyWhen I had my first child in 1994 I was Head of Legal &

Business Affairs for Grundy Television. As such I held a senior legal position advising Grundy managers and

TV producers. In 2000, with my second child on the way I was General Manager of Grundy Television. On

both occasions I took the same constructive approach to pending motherhood. I asked myself what I wanted

from work and family and, having decided, worked on a proposal that would deliver the result in a way that

worked for me and for the company.

So how have I done it?

In my earlier role, I had a largely desk-bound job with various meetings. Where or when I drafted contracts

or gave telephone advice didn't matter so much as long as I could be contacted. Computers meant I could

operate from a home office in some ways more efficiently than I could at work (less socializing!). I proposed

this to my manager and Grundy was happy to set me up with the flexibility of a home computer, modem, fax

and phone line.

In 1994, following 7 months maternity leave I worked from home 2 days and office 3 days a week, prior to

accepting the role of General Manager. More recently I took 12 months maternity leave, and retained those

duties I felt I could still valuably perform while spending more time with my family. I made

recommendations about how my other duties could best be delegated during my absence under my general

supervision. Following my leave, I did not wish to return immediately to full-time work and therefore handed

on my role as General Manager and kept on certain of my responsibilities as Company Director and Advisor in

the part-time role of Executive Director.

The mobile phone is important, since I may be in the playground at 3.30pm fielding a trouble-shooting call

from work. The computer and e-mail are essential, as I can keep in touch at whatever time of day or night I

manage to 'log on'. A supportive family, office, and flexible childcare are equally important, since sometimes

meetings run-over or crop up on the 'wrong' days, and it helps to have understanding, emergency care

available. Try and schedule meetings at family friendly times so you aren't always running from one demand

to the other, satisfying neither.

Be flexible, realistic, and think laterally. If you enjoy your work and are good at what you do, chances are

your employer will want to hear your ideas about how you can keep your job and family too. And another

thing ... try and get some sleep while you can ... you are going to be very, very busy !

Adrianne Pecotic is Executive Director with Grundy Television.

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Where to go for more assistance

‘My major question is: if and when I decide to have children, can I afford to stay in theindustry and have the family life I want!!’

Achieving a better balance What happens when you think you might want to change things at work to ensure that your home life is better

balanced? The first thing to do is work out whether the change you’re thinking of at work will really help or whether

there is something else you might do to bring your life into balance.

Working through the questions set out below will help you to consider the work and family balance needs you have

and how you might best meet these needs:

1. You want to achieve a better balance between your work and your family responsibilities. What change at work

have you thought about making?

2. What do you hope to achieve through this change?

3. Take a look at the broader picture. List the five things which currently contribute to imbalance, stress and

disharmony - will the change at work that you were thinking about making in Question 2 really help you with these

things or do you need to consider something else/something different?

4. What positive and negative impact will this change have on your network/work unit? What will it mean for you

and your family – how will it affect you financially?

5. Now what do you propose to do and who will you need to talk to about it?

The family friendly support that might work for you

Taking some leave

Depending on your industrial agreement, various paid and unpaid leave arrangements will be available to assist you

with balancing your work with your family responsibilities. These leave arrangements include maternity leave,

paternity leave, parental leave, family leave and carer’s leave. To find out more contact the person with responsibility

for human resources in your organisation.

Working more flexibly

Putting in place some flexible work arrangements can often assist with the work and family balance. Some of the

most common flexible work arrangements are outlined below. All of them will probably be in place in your

organisation. Whether they are available to you will depend on the type of work you do, your relevant industrial

agreement and the organisational culture in which you work. However, remember that it is all a matter of negotiation

and give and take.

part-time work

part-time work can be permanent or casual. If you have permanent work and you decide to work part-time, you will

work for less than five days per week. You will still be able to use sick leave and holiday leave calculated according to

how many days you actually work, on a pro rata basis.

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Advantages

One of the major advantages of part-time work is that you may be able to meet more of your family needs while still

keeping your job (and your foot in the door). You should be able to move back to full-time work when family

responsibilities and work requirements allow. You may also be able to access a graduated change to your work

days/hours; for example, you may be able to return from maternity leave on a part-time basis, gradually building back

up to full-time work. There will also be advantages for your employer as, rather than having someone leave because

they are unable to work on a full-time basis, they will maintain a skilled and motivated staff member at work.

Disadvantages

One possible disadvantage with part-time work is that co-ordination of tasks and communication between you and

other staff will require a lot more attention and effort. Rosters will also be less flexible as you won’t be available all

of the time and you will also need to weigh up the financial disincentives such as reduced salary and reduced

superannuation contributions. Your supervisor might also find that more time and attention might need to be spent

on managing the part-time work arrangement.

Job share

Job sharing involves the sharing of the duties and responsibilities of one job between a number of employees, for

example, two people might work part-time in the one job.

Advantages

Job sharing can bring multiple skills and experiences, as well as different perspectives to the one job. You and your

job share partner can provide support to each other and if one of you is unable to work, the other will know the job

and might be able to increase hours to cover possible absences.

Disadvantages

The possible disadvantages are that it may be difficult to design a job share arrangement to match both you and your

potential job share partner’s skills and to accommodate individual differences. Communication between you and your

job share partner, your manager and work colleagues will require more attention and effort and if one of you wishes

to return to full-time work, it may be difficult to find a suitable replacement in the job share arrangement. There

may also be an increased management and co-ordination load for your supervisor.

Flexible hours – variation in working hours

This involves you working a variation to the standard hours of work; for example you may start earlier than usual and

leave earlier than usual.

Advantages

The major advantage of flexible work hours is that your hours of work can be tailored to meet your individual needs,

as well as to better match the workflow. Flexible work hours will also mean that peak work times can be covered.

Disadvantages

It may be difficult to co-ordinate when you are able to work with when the work is available for you to do. You also

might ‘burn out’ because you are trying to do too much in the hours that you are at work.

Working from home/telecommuting

Involves the regular performance of work-related tasks in an office at home.

Advantages

Your productivity, morale and motivation may be improved. As you will not be travelling to your workplace on a daily

basis, you will have a reduction in travel time and you may be able to make better use of your work time.

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Disadvantages

Establishing a home office can be expensive, and the layout of your home office will need to ensure that occupational

health and safety issues are taken into account. Insurance and security issues will also need to be considered. Your

manager may have a problem with you not being visible at the work site and you may also experience feelings of

professional isolation if working by yourself at home. And remember that working from your home-based office is

certainly not a substitute for childcare.

Finding assistance with childcare

Long day care

Commonly known as childcare centres, these usually care for 35–40 children under school age, in premises especially

built or adapted for childcare. They operate at least eight hours a day, five days a week, for at least 48 weeks a year

and offer full-time or part-time care. To find out about the location of childcare services ring the Commonwealth

Government’s childcare Hotline 1800 670 305, look in the Yellow Pages or contact your local council.

Advantages

A major advantage of using centre-based care is quality control – most centres participate in the Commonwealth

Quality Improvement and Accreditation System. Assistance with the cost of care can also be provided through the

childcare Benefit administered by the Commonwealth Government. The amount you receive will depend on the number

of children you have in care, the type of care you use, the hours of care and your family income.

Disadvantages

With the exception of a few extended hours childcare centres, there is little flexibility in the hours of care. You might

also find it difficult to find care for your child at short notice and if your child is sick they will not be able to attend.

Family Day Care

A Family Day Care scheme is a network of experienced carers who provide care in their own homes for other people’s

children. Although mainly used by children who have not yet started school, before and after school care and school

holiday care can also be provided for school-age children. Family Day Care schemes are usually organised, supported

and supervised by the local council or a community-based organisation. The scheme will assist with choosing a carer,

but it is wise for you to visit several carers before making a final choice. To find out more about Family Day Care

contact your local council.

Advantages

The greatest advantage of Family Day Care is the home-like atmosphere and flexibility of hours. Care might be

provided full-time, part-time or casual or in the evenings or on weekends if a carer is available. Childcare Benefit is

available to assist with the cost of care.

Disadvantages

The quality of care provided will depend largely on the individual carer. If your Family Day Carer becomes ill, moves

away or is unsuitable, you will need to find an alternate carer.

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Nanny Care

Nanny care is provided in a child’s own home for a set period of hours a week. The nanny might be highly qualified

or simply be a person who enjoys working with children. While it is traditional to think of nannies as looking after

only one family of children, two or more parents could share a nanny to care for up to four children in the home of

one of the parents or at the workplace.

Advantages

Care is provided in your own home and this minimises disruption. This is particularly important if you are working

early mornings, late nights or on weekends. Care can be one-on-one, which may be an advantage with young children.

Hours and days of work, as well as the rate of pay are negotiated on a one-to-one basis with your nanny. Some will

help with shopping or housework. The hours and days worked by the nanny will be flexible. If the child is sick, the

nanny can look after them. If the nanny is registered with the Commonwealth, a minimum amount of childcare

Benefit may be available to assist with the cost of care.

Disadvantages

Nanny care may be far more costly than other forms of childcare and the unregulated nature of nanny care may make

it more difficult to ensure quality of care. If the nanny gets sick or takes holidays, it may be difficult to get another

carer to take their place.

Before and after school care or vacation care

Care for primary school children is provided outside school hours while parents work. Activities may also be available

for older children during the school holidays. Supervised recreational activities are provided at primary schools,

community centres or halls. If the Commonwealth approves the program, childcare Benefit may be available to assist

with the cost of care. To find out more about school age care contact your local school or council.

Accessing support for older dependents

Support for older dependents will vary according to you and your older dependent’s needs. These may require you to

take time off work occasionally or to make the occasional phone call and although this won’t impact too much on

your time at work, it may mean you feel more stress and worry while working.

Most of the television networks and many independent production companies have access to an Employee Assistance

Program (EAP). The EAP provider will talk with you and assist with problems or concerns you may be experiencing as

you provide care for an older person. The EAP counsellor can also direct you to the appropriate resources that will

help your dependent. To find out how to make contact with the EAP provider contact the human resources

representative in your organisation.

For information about the different sorts of support that might be available including home help and supportive

accommodation services contact your local council, the state department with responsibility for matters concerning

older people or the Commonwealth Department of Family and Community Services.

Other support that might be available

Various other forms of assistance with balancing work and family may be available from your organisation. These

could include work and family information sheets or seminars, provision of a room where children or older dependents

can wait while you work, assistance with support for older dependents, information about existing childcare services

or childcare on or near the work site.

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The following section details what support might be available in your particular workplace, however for specific

information you should consult your organisation’s human resource representative. However, before we get to this, the

case study below gives some examples of different sorts of support are of value in balancing work and family.

The support I value in combining work and familyMy experience of combining work, baby and family life has been invaluably aided by two features – a part-

time job and onsite childcare.

When I went on maternity leave I was working on ‘Four Corners’ – a demanding and time hungry job. At

home with a very demanding time consuming baby (plus a husband who worked long hours) I realised

something had to change.

The change was in my job – with the very thoughtful intervention of a senior ABC manager (female) and the

enthusiastic support of a flexible executive producer (also female) I switched to a part-time position on The

‘7.30 Report’.

Initially mine was a job share arrangement, but the positions were intended to be independent of each other

in that we worked different days but we did not have to ‘cover’ for each other during holidays or any other

absences. Indeed when my ‘job share’ partner left, my position continued as before.

The benefits to the ABC of this flexible working schedule are a happy and enthusiastic employee - one not

only willing to work long hours on limited days - but also prepared to pay for ‘extra’ childcare as my hours of

work took me beyond the closing time of the on site ABC childcare centre. Having a single destination in the

morning has meant both my child and I arrive on time with minimal stress.

There is also a cultural benefit to work-based childcare: there is a community of interests amongst the

parents and you develop associations and even friendships amongst colleagues with whom you would not

normally interact. It has been my experience that this promotes

more fluid intra-corporate communication – I have ‘used’ my

childcare connections to assist work-based issues within the ABC.

Also because the ABC centre is a parent-managed crèche there is

a very real sense of ownership amongst the centre’s families.

Jacquelyn Hole is a producer with the ABC in Sydney.

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The assistance that may be available in your workplace

‘I know there’s some support already there, but it’s important to know what it is and howto access it.’

All of Australia’s television networks, as well as most of the independent production companies, provide the

opportunity for staff to work flexibly, with agreement from management and taking into account the needs of each

workplace. Flexible work arrangements that might improve your work and family balance could include work

arrangements like part-time work or job sharing, or they could include varying working hours, such as working a

shorter work day or less than five days a week.

By law, all industry employers also offer women who have continuous employment, a maximum of twelve months

parental leave without pay. All networks and some production companies also provide at least four weeks of paid

maternity leave, with the specific entitlement to paid leave being set out in each organisation’s enterprise agreement.

All television networks also provide at least five days paid carer’s leave per year.

However each organisation through its different emphasis, different history, different industrial agreements and

different workplace demographics provides a different range of work and family policies and practices.

The following provides a brief synopsis of what the major television networks provide and should not be seen as

conclusive. For further details on specific assistance you will need to contact your organisation’s human resources

representative.

The Nine Network assists employees with their work and family balance through the following initiatives:

• Support for the implementation of flexible working arrangements, e.g. part-time work, job sharing, telecommuting.

• Six weeks paid maternity leave and a booklet, which aims to keep in contact with women who are on maternityleave.

• A free and confidential Employee Assistance Program for use by all staff and their immediate families.

• Through its Work-Life Program Nine offers a number of resources including in-house workshops, online access and alibrary of material (books, tapes, videos) dedicated to career and worklife balance issues. As Nine’s goal is toidentify and be responsive to employee needs in this area, regular employee surveys are to be undertaken.

• A Performance Feedback Process which is aimed at improving communication about and understanding of staffneeds including the need for flexibility to improve work and family balance.

• Through its formal induction program ‘Introducing Nine’ new employees are provided with an overview of Nine’spolicies in relation to balancing work and family.

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Seven assists employees to find a balance between work and family by offering the following initiatives:

• Paid leave for the first six weeks of maternity leave taken by an employee giving birth, who has been continuouslyemployed by the Seven Network for twelve months or more.

• Permanent part-time and job-share working arrangements when assessed as practicable.

• Access to SNAP (Seven Network Assistance Program) a free, professional, confidential counselling service for allSeven employees and their immediate families.

• Unlimited paid sick and carer’s leave in the event of illness, medical conditions, household or childcare emergencies,subject to satisfactory evidence being provided when required.

• Participation in regular network-wide training sessions for all staff in Equal Employment Opportunity to ensureawareness of work and family life balance issues.

• Flexible working hours within the 19 day, 4 week rostering cycle for 38 and 45 hour shift workers.

Ten assists employees to find a balance between work and family by offering the following initiatives:

• Paid leave for the first six weeks of maternity leave taken by an employee giving birth, who has been continuouslyemployed by Ten for twelve months or more.

• Up to 52 weeks unpaid maternity, paternity and adoption leave.

• Open consideration and support for permanent part-time, job-share and flexible hours working arrangements,wherever possible.

• Five days paid carer’s leave in the event of illness, medical conditions, or childcare emergencies, subject tosatisfactory evidence being provided when required.

• Network-wide training sessions for all staff in Equal Employment Opportunity.

• Professional development initatives that consider all aspects of an employee’s working life.

• Acess to free and confidential counselling services.

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The ABC offers staff the following in regard to maintaining work and family balance:

• Use of onsite childcare centres at Ultimo and Gore Hill in Sydney.

• Use of shared offsite childcare centre in Melbourne.

• Twelve weeks paid maternity leave for staff with at least twelve months continuous employment and up to amaximum of another forty weeks leave without pay.

• Entitlement to a maximum period of fifty-two weeks parental leave without pay commencing on the day of the birthof the child or when assuming legal responsibility for an adopted child, for employees with at least twelve monthscontinuous employment.

• Flexitime for non-rostered employees.

• Five days paid leave for caring and emergency situations.

• Leave without pay for up to twelve months at the discretion of management for a range of purposes.

• Access to the Employee Assistance Program.

• Part-time work.

• Job sharing.

• Balancing Work and Life seminars and programs.

SBS assists staff with work and family balance through the following:

• Twelve weeks' paid maternity leave at the time of birth and up to 52 weeks' unpaid leave within two years of the birth.The twelve weeks' paid maternity leave may be converted to 24 weeks' half-pay leave.

• One week's paid spouse leave at the time of the birth and ability to apply for up to 52 weeks' unpaid leave to care for the child.

• Six weeks' paid adoption or fostering leave and up to 52 weeks' unpaid leave for the primary caregiver.

• Use of an on-site childcare centre at the network headquarters in Sydney and the ability to "package" child care fees.

• Up to five days' paid leave per year to care for a family member.

• Flexible working agreements to assist employees in balancing work and private responsibilities. These may be agreements for:1. home-based work;2. variation to days/hours worked, where practicable (eg flextime for non rostered employees, part-time work etc); or3. Purchased Additional Leave where reduced salary for up to 6 weeks' unpaid leave is spread over the whole year.

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Other useful contacts and resources The first place you might go at your workplace for assistance and advice will be your human resources representative.

They will be able to explain to you the extent and details of arrangements at the workplace and whether these might

be viable for you.

Your local council will also be able to tell you about services for children, teenagers and other dependents available

in your local area. You will find council details in the phone book.

Other useful contacts are:

Childcare

Childcare Access Hotline – for information about the location of childcare services Phone 1800 670 305

Family Assistance Office - for information about assistance with the cost of childcare

Phone 13 6150

Your Guide to Child Care. Published by the Department of Family and Community Services, this booklet describes the

different types of childcare and includes a checklist on how to choose childcare. Available from the Childcare Access

Hotline 1800 670 305 or as an e document www.facs.gov.au/publications/childcare

Care and support for older dependents

A Carer‘s Guide to Financial Support, Respite Co-ordination and Information Services – Available as an e document

www.facs.gov.au/publications. Also available through The Carers Association phone toll-free 1800 242 636.

Aged Care - make the choices that are right for you. Published by the Department of Health and Aged Care, this booklet

sets out the different types of support funded by the Commonwealth. Phone toll free 1800 500 853 for details of this

and other publications to assist with supporting older dependents. Also available as an e document

www.health.gov.au/acc/publications

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