Family Friendly Workplace Study
The Early Years Coalition of Marathon County and the Wausau Region Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with WIPPS Research Partners and area employers, have embarked on a two-pronged study to determine key drivers of favorable work-life balance and “family-friendly” practices that are most impactful for central Wisconsin employees in choosing a job and a location to live and raise a family. Using an online employee survey instrument and focus groups—in combination with a survey of employer benefits policies—the goals of the study are as follows:
- Establish baseline data aggregated from employers in Marathon County concerning family-friendly employment policies and practices from the perspective of employers;
- Establish baseline data concerning how employees working in Marathon County perceive their workplace environment and opportunities to meet their diverse family needs;
- Analyze and compare the results to see if employees and employers are on the same page when it comes to family-friendly practices and work environments;
- Compare findings with national and regional data and trends;
- Analyze the relationship between family-friendly employment practices, employee attraction and retention;
- Create a set of recommendations that employers and early childhood-serving organizations can use to improve family-friendly policies in diverse work environments.