Family-Friendly Policies

Organizations throughout the world, including colleges and universities, have recognized the importance of work environments that are “family friendly,” that is, they are committed to supporting and accommodating employees as they seek to manage work and family demands. Historically, such accommodations were unnecessary when those in professional positions such as faculty members were men in single-career families. In higher education, dynamics in the contemporary academic labor market, which include dual-career couples and workers’ desires and expectations for work and family balance, have compelled colleges and universities to be family friendly as part of larger goals to recruit and retain a diverse and high-quality employee base. Institutions that support faculty and staff who can combine work and family without risk to their careers and/or personal well-being ...