Six employers have been announced winners of the federal Government's 2009-10 National Work-Life Balance Awards.
At the awards ceremony in Canberra yesterday, MC Nareen Young, head of Diversity Council Australia, announced finalists in 10 industry categories.
The winners were:
Minter Ellison Perth, for "going above and beyond [legal] industry standards" to assist employees to achieve work/life balance. Managers at Minter Ellison act as role models for flexible working arrangements, "demonstrating to all employees the ease with which the arrangements can be employed".
Playgroup Association of Queensland Inc, which is a charity and not-for-profit that has faced significant recruitment and retention challenges. New employees are asked about their work/life balance priorities and how their needs can be met.
Probuild Constructions (Aust) Pty Ltd, which has worked to address the long and unpredictable hours usually required of construction employees. Probuild Constructions also won the national award;
Norwest Child Care Centre, which has made efforts to break down the barriers to providing work/life balance to childcare employees;
Landgate, which has been offering work/life initiatives to employees for 12 years. Its programs span three focus areas - community, family and Indigenous; and
Take a Break Away Pty Ltd, which has introduced, among its work/life balance initiatives, IT systems that allow employees to work from home.
The judging panel also awarded special commendations to:
Disability Attendant Support Service Inc (DASSI), which was credited with taking into account the work/life balance needs of employees when allocating nearly 4000 shifts each week;
Transport Accident Commission, which has developed a 'Together we can find a balance' employee guide as a framework to help employees achieve better work/life balance;
Wrigley Company, whose 'Believe' lifestyle program has a number of free health initiatives including free private health insurance cover;
SageCo Pty Ltd, which encourages open dialogue between employees and managers to create individual flexible work arrangements; and
Woodside Energy, for its work on numerous Indigenous recruitment programs.
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