Family plays an important role in the lives of many people, while career accomplishment is the lifetime goal of others. Living in a busy city like Hong Kong can make striking a balance between family and work a challenging task. As such, the Government has formulated the Family-Friendly Employers Award Scheme to encourage employers to practice family-friendly policies.
The biennial scheme was launched by the Home Affairs Bureau and the Family Council in 2011. It recognises family-friendly employers and encourages them to implement measures to raise awareness of the importance of core family values in the business sector, and to foster a pro-family culture and environment.
These empathetic employers believe family-friendly policies increase their employees' sense of belonging, maintaining manpower stability and increasing productivity.
Awards for breastfeeding support have been added to the scheme for this year.
Mothers' choice
Queen Elizabeth Hospital Anaesthesiology & Operating Theatre Services Advanced Practice Nurse Carmen Lam is a beneficiary of the hospital's family-friendly policy.
She has been working there for nearly 20 years and gave birth to a premature baby girl in 2013. Her doctor suggested she build up a stronger immune system for her baby via breastfeeding.
Carmen said the hospital strongly encourages its staff to breastfeed, distributing leaflets and giving talks on the practice, and providing areas for breastfeeding. There are four lactation rooms in her workplace for women to collect and store breast milk. Refrigerators, washing facilities and breast pumps are in the rooms.
"I only need to bring feeding bottles to my workplace. I would not have been able to breastfeed my daughter for one and a half years without these support facilities."
Queen Elizabeth Hospital Obstetrics & Gynaecology Department Nurse Consultant Christine Lam understands the difficulties of working mothers who have children, saying family-friendly policies help reduce their stress.
"We care not only about our staff's working conditions but also their families. Working mums have to work and take care of their children. If we can support their role as a childcare provider and allow them to collect breast milk during working hours, that is a good measure."
The hospital's family-friendly policies include a five-day week, shift working hours, and a support group to help staff. It was named a Distinguished Family-friendly Employer in the 2013/14 Family-Friendly Employers Award Scheme.
People oriented
The Hong Kong & China Gas Company's family friendly policies include a girl scout group for employees' daughters and a workplace clinic where staff with chronic illness can get free medication.
The company's Supplies Executive Carmen Lau said she is allowed time off to handle her children's school affairs.
"We can attend the teachers and parents meeting during working hours by informing our management team in advance. We do not have to apply for leave. This helps me to balance work and family."
The company's Head of Corporate Human Resources Kit Fan said more than 80% of employees have worked in the company for more than a decade.
She said family-friendly policies increase employees' sense of belonging and boost their enthusiasm and productivity.
"I believe family-friendly policies help employees feel that the company is taking care of their families, so they are willing to stay in the same company in the long term."
The nomination deadline for the award scheme is March 14 while deadline for employer applications is April 14. The results will be announced in October. The award scheme has been included in the "Appreciate Hong Kong" Campaign.
