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Integration

Playbook
Copyright 2014 by the Society of Women Engineers
All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be
reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express
written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief
quotations in a book review.
Printed in the United States of America
First Printing, 2014
ISBN 0-9000000-0-0
Society of Women Engineers
203 N La Salle Street, Suite 1675
Chicago, IL 60601
www.swe.org
i
Contents
Playbook Forward ............................................................ ii
Playbook Executive Summary ...........................................v
Flexibility .......................................................................... 1
Parental Programs ......................................................... 10
Health & Wellness .......................................................... 21
Dependent Care ............................................................ 45
Financial ........................................................................ 52
References .................................................................... 72
Authors ......................................................................... 74
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Work & Life Integration
Playbook Forward
Workplace exibility isnt just a womens issue. Its an issue
that affects the well-being of our families and the success
of our businesses. It affects the strength of our economy
whether well create the workplaces and jobs of the future
that we need to compete in todays global economy.
--President Barack Obama
March 31, 2010
Work and Life Integration is a challenge that men and
women, young and old, entry-level workers and executives,
and practitioners face in every profession. But this challenge
is often more intense for women in engineering. Traditionally
the structure of engineering jobs offer little exibility to support
personal priorities. The global workplace holds meetings
throughout a 24-hour day. Project demands on those
with unique expertise lead to long hours with little relief.
A continually running process requires continual human
supervision. Business imperatives lead to travel and remote
assignments. The male-dominated engineering workplace
offers few models or precedents for addressing these
Playbook Forward
iii
challenges. And the common whatever it takes engineering
culture creates a conict between having an acceptable
work-life balance and being able to t into the workplace
and advance in an important career. For many women in
engineering and technology, the ability to improve work-life
integration is a seemingly unattainable dream.
Because the vision of the Society of Women Engineers
(SWE) is to be key to the success of women in engineering
and technology, a team of SWE leaders developed a
playbook to turn the dream into a reality. They found that
with the appropriate resources and environment, it is not only
possible to improve work-life integration, it is also becoming a
competitive advantage of leading employers. These programs
enable women engineers (and other employees) to continue
rewarding careers and fully contribute in their jobs and be
satised as they care for themselves, raise the next generation
and support loved ones.
If you are an employee, the SWE Work & Life Integration
Playbook offers options you may pursue. If you are
employer, the Playbook brings together a variety of ideas
you can offer to your employees. The Playbook gives insight
into ve key areas for improving work and life integration:
exibility in the workplace, programs for parents, health and
wellness, care for dependents and other loved ones, and
nancial support. Within each of these areas, the authors
describe the issue, explain why it is important to work and
life integration, and offer practical, concrete examples of
how employers are addressing the issue. Case studies
highlight successful programs that can be replicated.
References allow you to delve further into the topics.
Work & Life Integration Playbook
iv
The SWE Work & Life Integration Playbook was developed
by a committee of SWE leaders comprised of Chair Karla
Tankersley, Katie Hull, Olivia LeBlanc and Wendy Merkley.
The committee worked together to address the mega
issues that impact women engineers. On behalf of all who
will benet from this resource I thank them for their passion,
efforts and insights.
The authors have fullled their rst goal to deliver a
valuable resource for improving work-life integration for
women engineers. Their ultimate goal is to have these
resources be used. It is up to you to turn this Playbook into
reality at your workplace.
Betty Shanahan
Executive Director & CEO
Society of Women Engineers
September 2013
v
Work & Life Integration
Playbook Executive Summary
Women need integration to be successful in their own
terms of both career and family. Integration is dened as
to form, coordinate, or blend into a functioning or unied
whole. The ability to achieve this blend of having a satisfying
career and supporting family commitments is the ultimate re-
ality so many women aspire to have. Work & Life Integration
is a priority for our Society. At our annual conference we
provide awards and recognition to celebrate accomplishments
in Work & Life Integration. SWE provides webinars for our
members like Motherhood, Career and the Work-Life Juggle.
SWE has also published white papers on the retention of
women in engineering which have found that women leave
their places of employment largely due to the lack of exibility.
In 2012, the SWE Mega Issue Committee conducted
interviews and a survey of membership to provide additional
insights into Work & Life Integration challenges. In the
survey more than 22 working mothers with engineering
backgrounds working in technical elds for eight separate
companies, the following key insights were shared:
Support outside of work came from extended
family and friends
Work & Life Integration Playbook
vi
Activities outside of work were primarily
family oriented
Work & Integration resources inuenced the
enhancement of their work performance
Projects that demand extra hours are the most
challenging to achieving Work & Life Integration
Annual meetings are where the majority of career
development are provided
Flexible hours lead the way for promoting Work &
Life Integration
Providing part-time positions with no cultural- or
career-negative consequences
Participants would like to see more job sharing and
exible work schedules offered by employers
The survey conducted by the SWE Mega Issue Committee
in 2012 was completed by more than 400 participants and
included responses from all SWE Regions. Demographics
of participants were equal between women with and without
children. Of the participants, 70 percent were married and
30 percent single. The following was observed:
72 percent believe that Work & Life Integration
policies have not contributed to fullling
career dreams
40 percent do not have a supervisor who takes
an active approach to ensuring your career path
progresses during your increased need of Work & Life
Integration. Note, according to The Project on
Women Engineers Retention (POWER), one-in-three
leave an employer due to climate, boss or culture
Playbook Executive Summary
vii
20 percent work for companies that do not provide
telecommuting or extime
16 percent work for companies that provide
part-time options, but are afraid to use it because
theyre afraid of the consequences it could have on
their career. Three percent have used part-time and
have had negative consequences to their career
32 percent work for companies that do not offer
part-time options.
50 percent of participants have thought about
leaving, declined offers or left companies due to
lack of Work & Life Integration policies
76 percent of respondents believe the demands of
the work schedule are their top struggle to achieving
Work & Life Integration
47 percent of respondents believe that exible work
schedules are the most important enabler to
achieving Work & Life Integration
In 2012, SWE delegates attended a White House brieng by
the First Lady, Michelle Obama. Mrs. Obama spoke to the
importance of encouraging girls and women to enter into
and continue on in STEM careers. This event also recognized
the launch of the National Science Foundations Career-Life
Balance Initiative designed to provide greater work-related
exibility to its grantees. The Project on Women Engineers
Retention also published Stemming the Tide: Why Women
Leave Engineering, funded by the National Science
Foundation. This groundbreaking research specically
focused on why women leave engineering. This research
Work & Life Integration Playbook
viii
had many key ndings relevant to Work & Life Integration
for parents:
Women engineers who are condent about
managing multiple work/non-work roles experience
low levels of work/non-work conict
Women engineers who handled excessive and
conicting work-role demands and worked in
environments where women were treated in a
condescending manner experienced considerable
work/non-work conict
Women engineers experienced low levels of
work/non-work conict when they worked for
organizations that were supportive and
accommodating of, their employees
concerns for work-life balance
Women engineers experienced high levels of
work/non-work conict when they reported
working for organizations with family-friendly
cultures and used some of the work-life benets
provided to them
To further emphasize the need for Work & Life Integration
best practices and solutions is our ever evolving social and
political climate. There has never been a more opportune
time to present the best practices for Work & Life Integration
in the workplace. In 2013, we marked the signicant
milestone of the 20th anniversary of the FMLA, Federal
Medical Leave Act, which offers job protection for working
women. In addition, some of the vital few women at the top
of industry are making their own waves in the media. They
are championing the need to lean in and take the reins of
Playbook Executive Summary
ix
opportunity we have been politely asking for. Now more than
ever we need to build awareness of the creative solutions
that exist for Work & Life Integration to become reality for
all of us who aspire to enduring and successful careers in
engineering and technology.
CHAPTER 1
Flexibility
2

Flexibility
Throughout all levels of leadership, choices are welcomed
and respected; an attitude of profession and life integration
built into the culture of the company. Flexibility is an area
where there are many options available that can be used to
help retain employees throughout their lives. Flexibility in the
work place means allowing exible options for employees
in the form of ex-time, telecommuting, part-time and
job sharing.
1. Why is Flexibility Important to Work &
Life Integration
Flexibility allows the employee and employer to work together
to outline an arrangement that leads to increased productivity
and improved quality of life, which can lead to retention and
reduced costs. In a exible workplace, employees have
the opportunity to have a successful career without giving
up other life commitments they have, such as family. As
evidenced by Cisco employees in one study, exible work
environments can lead to more productive employees.
However, it should also be acknowledged that certain types
of exible schedules do not work for all situations and should
Work & Life Integration Playbook
3
a problem arise, a new arrangement must be made.
Consider how Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer required all
telecommuting employees to return to the ofce. Seeing that
her employees had taken advantage of their telecommuting
option by not keeping up productivity; she required everyone
to return to the ofce for a re-evaluation.
2. Flex time
Flex time is a system that allows employees to choose
their own times for starting and nishing work with a broad
range of available hours. Companies need employees to
support their business within their standard business hours.
Companies need to make a commitment to support business
needs and employee exibility by providing options. This
gives employees the ability to modify their schedule and
support business needs.
This can be done through various work arrangements,
including: varied work schedules that allow the employee
to choose individual starting, ending and lunch times within
certain guidelines; a compressed work week that allows the
employee to work 40 hours in less than the standard ve
day work week; and an extended work week which allows
the employee to work 40 hours in more than the standard
ve day work week.
3. Telecommuting
Telecommuting is the ability to work at home through the use
of an electronic linkup with a central ofce. It provides the
option to work and contribute to the team, even when you
cannot physically be present. Telecommuting was reported
in the POWER study to be available for 63 percent of all
Chapter 1Flexibility
4
women and 54 percent used it. Telecommuting can be used
either as an ongoing work agreement or as a special case
agreement. As an ongoing work agreement, the employee
is telecommuting their forty hours of work. As a special case
agreement, the employee only uses telecommuting as an
option when one cannot physically be at the ofce, such as
when a dependent is ill or an emergency has occurred.
4. Part Time
Working less than 40 hours per week with benets is another
option with exibility that allows the continuity of a career
path. Companies need to work with employees to align
positions to work schedules. This is particularly helpful for
new parents and employees with elderly care commitments.
In the POWER study, part-time work was available to 59
percent of all women, but only 19 percent used it.
This arrangement could be used as a temporary or long-
term option. In both cases, it is essential to determine
when the employee will be at work consistently. This
arrangement could be combined with job sharing.
5. Job Sharing
This is an employment arrangement where two people
work on a part-time or reduced-time basis to perform a job
normally fullled by one full-time employee. This provides the
option for two salaried employees to share one job, performing
the same duties during a minimum 20 hour work week. In
this option, it is crucial to have an agreeable partner and a
willing supervisor. It is also necessary to have excellent
Work & Life Integration Playbook
5

communication between those sharing the job. However,
studies have shown a net productivity increase with
job sharing.
6. Flexible Work Arrangement Proposal
A sample proposal follows and is available for download as a
PDF le at the Society of Women Engineers website.
Flexible Work Arrangement Proposal
A Society of Women Engineers
Work & Life Integration Playbook Sample
Employee Name Employee Title
Supervisor Organization
The company will consider a Flexible Work Arrangement with its employees if the result:
increases productivity
permits retention of employee services that would otherwise be lost from the organization
reduces cost; or
improves the employees quality of life without diminishing the quality of work performed.
Please note this proposal is temporary and will be evaluated periodically.
Flexible Work Arrangement Options (please choose one):
Full-time
options
Varied Work Schedule - This option allows an eligible employee to choose individual starting, ending
and lunch times within certain guidelines. With prior supervisory approval, employees will be allowed
to modify their workday by a maximum of two (2) hours in anyone workday.
Compressed Work Week - This option allows an eligible employee to complete forty (40) hours of
work in less than the standard five-working days per week.
Extended Work Week - This option allows an eligible employee to complete forty (40) hours of work
in more than the standard five-working days per week.
Telecommuting - This option allows an eligible employee to work from an alternate location, primarily
from home, for a portion of the employee's approved workweek. A Telecommuting Agreement must
also be submitted to your supervisor.
Part time
options
Regular Part-time Program - This program includes reduced hour positions determined by
supervisors to address long-term business needs. Hours agreed upon must not be less than 20
hours or more than an average of 35 hours per week.
Job Sharing Program - This program provides the option for two salaried employees performing the
same job duties to each work a minimum of twenty (20) hours per week and share one job. It
requires an agreeable partner and the same supervisor.
Telecommuting - Participants in the Regular Part-time and Job Sharing programs may use this
option.
Telecommuting Check here if a Telecommuting agreement has been completed and approved by your supervisor.
Chapter 1Flexibility
6
Outline of Flexible Work Arrangement
Describe the work hours that you would be working on your Proposed Work Schedule
Describe the possible benefits of this arrangement to you, your customers, your teams, department & the company
Describe how communications will be maintained with your department, company & customers.
What will you expect from your supervisor and work teams in terms of support?
If telecommuting, who is responsible for necessary equipment?
Additional comments
I understand that all Flexible Work Arrangements will meet business unit needs, be mutually agreeable for a specific duration and
be subject to change, including cancellation, based on business conditions.
I understand that there may be times when I may have to work outside of the Flexible Work Arrangement to meet business needs.
Employee Signature: Date
Supervisor Decision:
Approved
Declined (Reason )
Next review date for Flexible Work Arrangement
30 Days
60 Days
Actual date of next review
Supervisor Signature: Date Employee Signature: Date
7
Establishing a Flexible Career
Arrangement Program
A Flexibility Case Study
I can personally attest that employees utilizing Flexible
Career Arrangements are truly appreciative of the ability
to take advantage of this program. Employee loyalty
to the employer has increased, and in general they are
more productive while they are working. I was a
part-time employee for nine years; it allowed to me to
continue progressing in my professional life, and
allowed me to give my family the time and attention
they needed. I am grateful for the program.
- Sharon Crall
Author: Sharon Crall
Employer: GE Aviation
Situation:
Employees today must balance a busy work life with a busy
home life. GE Aviation offers employees options to address
this balance. This program helps to retain talent and promote
employee work/life balance.
Approach:
GE Aviation offers a number of options in terms of exible
Chapter 1Flexibility
8
career arrangements. Flexibility is offered in terms of number
of hours worked, when the hours are worked and where
the hours are worked. Approval is based on the businesss
ability to accommodate the request considering business
needs and the job duties of the employee.
Some examples of exible career arrangements include:
Reduced Hours: A schedule that is at least 30 hours a
week but less than 40 hours per week
Part-time: A schedule that is at least 20 hours but less
than 30 hours per week
Telecommuting: Work performed off-site for part of the
work week
Remote work: Work performed off-site 100 percent of
the time is considered
Hybrid: An employee may craft a Flexible Career
Arrangement which is a hybrid of reduced hours and
off-site work
Employees are supported while working a exible career
arrangement through a long-established employee support
group. Services provided by the employee support
group include networking, education for employees and
managers, and best practice sharing. Education includes
tips for a successful exible career arrangement for
employees and support models for managers to effectively
manage these employees, while advocacy for employees
includes working with Human Resources to suggest
improvements to the program.
Work & Life Integration Playbook
9
The employee group also provides a website containing
reference materials, as well as the ability to submit questions
to volunteer exible work experts.
Results:
Flexible Career Arrangements are popular and are
used by men and women of all ages. Flexible Career
Arrangements have advantages in terms of:
Happier, more satised employees
Increased employee retention
Attractive benet for use as a recruiting tool
Fewer days of lost employee work because of
non-work commitments
CHAPTER 2
Parental Programs
11

Parental Programs
For all employees, life events and career success is realistic
and achievable. Innovative programs are provided to support
the integration of work requirements and the needs of
parents. Examples of effective programs that meet the needs
of this critical time for employees are the FMLA Act of
1993, Paternity and Maternity Leave, Adoption Programs,
Lactation Accommodations and Expectant Mother Parking
Programs. The POWER Study found that, of paid leaves,
49 percent of all women said parental assistance programs
were available, but only 29 percent had used them; of
unpaid leaves, 79 percent of all women said that parental
assistance programs were available, while only 27 percent
had used them.*
1. Why Parental Programs Are Important
to Work & Life Integration
Women need integration to be successful in their own
terms of both career and family. Integration is dened as
to form, coordinate, or blend into a functioning or unied
whole. Achieving the blend of having a satisfying career and
supporting family commitments is the ultimate reality so
many women aspire to this.
Chapter 2Parental Programs
12
2. The FMLA Act of 1993
In the United States, the FMLA Act of 1993 provided a
minimum leave standard, offering job protection with up to
12 weeks of leave without pay. More than ten countries offer
parental assistance with six months or more paid maternity
leave. This time away from travel, eld work, industrial sites
and labs is devoted to the support of a newborn, recovery
for the mother and supporting the child through its most
vulnerable stage of life. Paid time off for new mothers and
fathers, including adoptive parents, greatly reduces stress in
employees and provides the means to support the family.
3. Parental Involvement Leave
Parental Involvement Leave involves providing intermittent
leave to support the need for working parents to have the
exibility from work to attend to school, community and
routine medical needs for children and grandchildren. For the
exempt, salaried engineers and technologies, the exibility
in schedules to attend to these needs can be supported
through Flexibility Programs.
4. Lactation Accommodations
The US, Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) of 2010
requires companies to provide reasonable break time and
accommodations for lactation. Finding a secluded and clean
area can be a great challenge for women engineers and
technologists working in male-dominated industries and
industrial environments. With a clean, secluded area and a
refrigerator, a lactation room can quickly and easily be setup.
Work & Life Integration Playbook
13
5. Adoption Programs
Leading employers in the United States provide nancial
and parental leave programs to support women engineers
and technologists in the adoption process as a competitive
company benet. These innovative programs provide homes
to children who need them and support parents devoting the
time needed to bond with their adopted child. International
standards exist to provide adoptive parents with the same
benets as biological parents.
6. Expectant Mother Parking Programs
These programs provide parking locations close to
entrances in order to provide a shorter and safer walk to
and from company entrances. This is extremely inexpensive
and easy to implement. This program can reduce the risk of
slips, trips or falls because of accidents or inclement weather
for women engineers and technologists whom travel to
company facilities or sites frequently in their jobs.
14
Establishing a Lactation
Program in the Workplace
A Parental Programs Case Study
Author: Kate Maxwell
SWE 2011 Work & Life Integration Award Recipient
Employer: Raytheon
Situation:
A number of female employees at an engineering company
wished to return to work after the birth of a child, yet they
found that the company did not provide a suitable, private
space in which new mothers could periodically express
breast milk during the workday. Employees felt that if suitable
facilities were not made available, women may quit their
jobs, delay returning to the workforce, work reduced hours,
or make the choice to supplement infant feeding or switch
entirely to formula feeding.
Approach:
In response to the situation, a small group of employees at
the engineering company decided to conduct a Six Sigma
analysis of the problem and determine how best to rectify
it. First, the team performed data gathering exercises to
further understand the situation and begin working toward
a solution. Information was collected regarding the number
of nursing mothers at the site, past, present and future. The
Work & Life Integration Playbook
15
team utilized the Internet to conduct research on lactation
resources, as well as legislation regarding breastfeeding
support requirements of employers. In addition, the team
reached out to peers at other locations and companies
to poll them for information about the lactation facilities
they provide.
The team compiled a wealth of information outlining the
benets of lactation programs, both to employees and
employers alike. For nursing mothers who are able to
continue breastfeeding after returning to the workplace, the
benets can include:
Healthier babies who are less susceptible to illness
and infection as a result of being breastfed
Faster pregnancy weight loss for new mothers
Reduced risk of breast and cervical cancer in
women who have breastfed
Reduced cost to feed infants
Reduced healthcare costs as a result of healthier
babies and mothers
Fewer absences from work as a result of
healthier dependents
In addition, employers can also reap many benets by
providing a lactation program in the workplace, including:
Happier, more satised employees
Increased employee retention
Chapter 2Parental Programs
16
Attractive benet for use as a recruiting tool for
hiring female employees
Fewer days of lost employee work as a result of
healthier children
Reduced healthcare costs as a result of healthier
employees and dependents
Overall cost savings of $3 for every $1 invested in
breastfeeding support by companies (Benefts to
Business).
Once the data gathering stage was complete the team
relayed the information to site management, human
resources and facilities personnel to gain their approval and
buy-in. After approval to proceed had been granted, the
team worked more exclusively with the facilities department
to determine physical constraints of the site and budgetary
restrictions in order to determine a realistic scope for
implementing a lactation program to support breastfeeding
mothers in the workplace. Finally, the team composed
and conducted a survey of the entire female employee
population at the site in order to gather specic votes, inputs
and comments about what an ideal lactation space in the
workplace would provide. Interestingly, in addition to ideas
being returned in the survey results, the survey comments
showed great support for the lactation program by senior
women in the workplace who recalled having to discontinue
breastfeeding their own children when returning to work
many years ago, or who recounted stories of trying to pump
in cramped restroom stalls or even in vehicles in the parking
lot. This overwhelming support served to further bolster the
resolve of the team to remedy the situation.
Work & Life Integration Playbook
17
Results:
As a result of the teams efforts, the site created two
dedicated rooms for nursing mothers, each providing a
space capable to privately support two individuals per
room at a time. As per survey and research results, the
most important elements for successful implementation of
lactation rooms in the workplace are privacy, comfort and
cleanliness. In keeping with these themes, the following
amenities were included in the new lactation rooms at
the site:
Cipher-locked doors
Privacy partitions to enable two women to use each
room at a time
Comfortable chairs with armrests
Tables for facilitating easy and ergonomic
equipment use
Electrical outlets in multiple convenient locations
Refrigerators
Wastebaskets
Bulletin boards for posting and sharing lactation and
parenting-related resources, pictures of children,
room usage guidelines, etc.
Paper towels
Hand sanitizer
Disinfectant spray
Storage shelving, cabinets, and/or lockers
Wall clocks
Telephones
Magnetic, reversible signs on the door indicating if a
room is fully occupied
Chapter 2Parental Programs
18
Full-length mirrors for mothers to utilize prior to
exiting the room
An assortment of reading material, including parenting
magazines and engineering-related publications
Note that because of site and budget restrictions at this
particular workplace, the facilities department was unable
to plumb the rooms to provide in-room access to a water
supply. However, the strategic location of the rooms within
close proximity to restrooms and sinks alleviated concerns
regarding this issue.
In the years since the rooms have been implemented,
the response to the project has been overwhelmingly
positive, and the rooms have been in continuous use by
many different women returning to the workplace after the
birth of a child. The benet of providing lactation facilities
to employees has been wholeheartedly embraced by
employees and the team behind the initiative has since
provided support and guidance to other workplaces also
interested in starting similar programs. Awareness of the
rooms has even spread to the local community, and the
company has been extolled as a positive example of a
workplace supportive of the needs of females and families.
Reference
United States Department of Labor, Fact Sheet #73: Break
Time for Nursing Mothers under the FLSA.
19
The General Electric
Company Adoption
Assistance Program
A Parental Programs Case Study
I have used the program twice and am very thankful
that GE provides this support to help families grow
through adoption.
GE Aviation Employee
Author: Sharon Crall
Employer: GE Aviation
Situation:
Adopting a child can be an emotional and expensive
experience for parents. Through the GE Adoption Assistance
Program, GE provides nancial support to ease the process.
Approach:
The GE Adoption Assistance Program provides nancial
assistance to reimburse eligible adoption expenses.
To help pay expenses associated with legally recognized
adoptions of a child, GE will reimburse employees for several
categories of eligible expenses for each legal adoption.
Eligible expenses may include legal, court and adoption fees
and medical and transportation expenses.
Chapter 2Parental Programs
20
Results:
The adoption assistance program is helping families
offset the costs associated with adoption, including
international adoption.
CHAPTER 3
Health & Wellness
22

Health & Wellness
The Harvard Business Review denes workplace health &
wellness as an organized, employer-sponsored program
that is designed to support employees (and, sometimes,
their families) as they adopt and sustain behaviors that
reduce health risks, improve quality of life, enhance personal
effectiveness, and benet the organizations bottom line.
1. Why Health & Wellness Is Important to
Work & Life Integration
Americans work an average of nine hours per workday** in
addition to having an average commute time of one hour
per workday,** making it difcult to nd the time to maintain
a healthy lifestyle while also attending to family needs.
At least 134 countries,** not including the United States,
have laws that limit the number of work hours per week to
accomodate more time for health and wellness activities.
Employers have the opportunity to integrate health and
wellness directly into the workplace by sponsoring programs
that have been found to boost productivity, reduce turnover
and absenteeism, prevent chronic illnesses and reduce
overall medical costs. These programs can include on-site
health clinics, sickness support, structured tness programs,
Work & Life Integration Playbook
23
nutritional programs, stress management programs and
overall health promotion.
A recent Virgin HealthMiles survey found that of the
1,300 businesses surveyed, 80 percent offer health and
wellness benets. Among that group, 47 percent have
extended those health and wellness benets to spouses
of employees. Employees are responding positively to this
new trend with 77 percent claiming that health and wellness
programs positively impact the culture at work.
According to the Texas Comptrollers Ofce, successful
health and wellness programs typically incorporate:
1. Comprehensive program design and a
continuing commitment
2. Assessments of employee health status to
identify risks
3. Individual counseling about assessment results,
especially for high-risk employees
4. Risk-reduction strategies
5. Marketing, incentives and changes to the work
environment to encourage strong participation
2. On-Site Health Clinics
Providing an on-site health clinic makes it convenient for
engineers and technologists to take care of health issues
and reduces the amount of time off needed for doctors
visits. Some on-site health clinics will also provide medical
services to dependents. In addition, on-site health clinics
can provide routine check-ups, which encourage engineers
Chapter 3Parental Programs
24
and technologists to partake in preventative screenings to
reduce the risk of chronic illnesses. About 17 million people
worldwide die each year as a result of heart disease, which
is most frequently assessed during routine check-ups.**
Employers can also provide temporary on-site health ser-
vices such as mammography clinics on wheels and
u shots.
Benets:
A Society for Human Resource Management study by
Mercer shows that providing an on-site health clinic can
result in the following benets for both the employer and
the employee:
Improved access and convenience
Cost savings
Reduced lost time and absence
Increased productivity
Improved health outcomes
Promotion of the importance of screening and
preventative services
Provided higher quality of care
Increased employee retention, recruitment
and morale
On-site health clinics make it convenient for engineers
and technologists to take care of health issues and greatly
reduce the amount of time off needed for doctors visits as
shown in the following:
Work & Life Integration Playbook
25
Employee Time-Off Comparison
Success Factors:
According to the Society for Human Resource Management
study, the following are key characteristics of employers that
are likely to benet from an on-site clinic:
Facilities with more than 750 employees
Geographic locations facing primary care shortages
Locations where workers spend hours traveling to/
from care settings
Low utilization of proactive care services
High emergency room utilization
High absence and lost time related to
medical issues
High retention / low turnover
Older populations
Younger populations with young families
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Chapter 3Parental Programs
26
Alternatives:
For those companies that are not large enough to benet
from an on-site health clinic or for those that are not ready,
there are numerous alternative options.
Shared Near-Site Clinics: Employers have the option
to team up with other companies to share a near-site
health clinic. According to a Mercer survey, 65 percent
of small employers (200-999 employees) were the
most likely to share a clinic, whereas none of the large
employers (10,000 or more employees) shared a clinic.
Temporary On-Site Services: Employers can
also provide temporary on-site health services such
as mammography clinics on wheels and u shots.
Biltmores two-day health fairs twice a year focus
on physical, nancial, and spiritual wellness. A wide
variety of screenings are offered, including bone scans,
cholesterol, blood sugar, lung capacity, and hearing.
Women can make appointments for mammograms.
Chiropractors are available. The local re department
demonstrates how to install a smoke detector, and
the police conduct sessions on home safety and give
children a chance to be ngerprinted for safety. Yoga
instructors, chaplains and many others lead seminars.
Local bank representatives provide private consultations.
Vendors for health and dental insurance and 401K plans
are available.**
Risk Assessment Questionnaire: In order to improve
overall workplace health and control healthcare costs,
many employers utilize risk assessment questionnaires
Work & Life Integration Playbook
27
and surveys to identify risk factors in their employee
population.** A survey by Aon Consulting found that half
of its participants currently utilize them and 20 percent
more plan to in the future.
Designated no smoking zone: Creating a tobacco-
free environment is the only way to protect employees
from the effects of secondhand smoke. According to
the World Health Organization, numerous countries
have implemented laws that require indoor workplaces
and public spaces to be 100 percent smoke-free,
including Ireland and Norway. In addition, employers
can provide tobacco cessation, counseling and
medications to employees.
3. Sickness Support
When a dependent is sick, it can wreak havoc on an
employees work schedule. An effective solution is to
allow some form of exible work environment (ex time or
telecommuting) or subsidized sickness care. With a support
system in place to assist in the care of a sick dependent,
engineers and technologists can remain productive at work.
The section on exible work environment describes options
in detail.
4. Structured Fitness Programs
Thirty minutes of regular physical activity every day can
greatly reduce the risk of heart disease, Type 2 diabetes
and certain cancers while also preventing weight-gain and
obesity.** In addition, recent studies found that sedentary
lifestyles can also contribute to serious health issues.
Engineers and technologists typically spend a lot of time
Chapter 3Parental Programs
28
sitting at a computer during their workday, which enables
them to maintain a sedentary lifestyle. Employers can
offer structured tness programs that allow engineers and
technologists to conveniently maintain an exercise regimen
and encourage them to lead a more active lifestyle. By
providing an on-site tness center with the inclusion of
locker rooms and showers, engineers and technologists
can exercise close to the ofce at any time of the day
without taking additional time away from work or family.
Some on-site tness centers also incorporate weight-loss
management programs. Other structured tness programs
include marathon challenges, cycling training teams,
subsidized gym memberships and outdoor walking trails.
On-Site Fitness Centers:
On-site tness centers are a great way to encourage
engineers and technologists to maintain a more active
lifestyle. Most on-site tness centers are free to engineers
and technologists and are set up like a standard gym. In
addition to having exercise equipment, most on-site tness
centers offer free classes, including yoga, boot camps and
dance aerobics. With the inclusion of locker rooms and
showers, engineers and technologists are able to exercise
close to the ofce at any time of the day.
Google believes that physical tness is an essential
part of a healthy and productive workforce, so it provides
on-site tness centers with free tness classes to its
employees, including yoga, kickboxing and hip-hop
dance. In addition, Google employees can attend beginner
sports clinics and join on-site sports leagues. Free tness
assessments and discounted personal trainers are also
available for employees.
Work & Life Integration Playbook
29
Numerous companies incorporate weight-management
programs into their on-site tness centers. These programs
include access to health coaches who assist with tness and
meal planning to achieve goals. In addition, some weight-
management programs have support groups that meet
during lunch. Tufts University performed a study where they
implemented weight management programs that combine
dietary advice with behavioral counseling in Boston area
workplaces. The study found that participants lost an
average of 18 pounds during a six-month period and had
lower cholesterol, blood glucose levels and blood sugar.
Alternatives:
There are numerous alternatives for companies that are not
able to provide an on-site tness center:
Subsidized gym memberships
Community recreation league participation
Bike racks
Access to on-site walking paths and well-lighted
stairwells
Stretch breaks
Treadmill or standing desks
Fitness challenges
Weight management programs
Access to health coaches
Fitness challenges are a great alternative for smaller
companies. Spire Consulting Group, LLC sponsored a three-
month tness challenge for its employees during the holiday
season. Employees were given a gym membership close
to the ofce and encouraged to obtain a body composition
test at the beginning of the challenge. Based on the body
Chapter 3Parental Programs
30
composition test, each employee developed an individual
goal they wanted to achieve in three months. Employees
did not feel pressured to compete against each other, but
encouraged one another to reach their individual goals.
This created a motivational and supportive environment that
brought more focus to health and wellness in the workplace.
Spire also incorporated nutrition into the challenge by
bringing in a nutritionist to discuss healthy eating habits
and answer questions.
5. Nutritional Programs
Worldwide obesity has more than doubled since 1980.**
Nutrition is a key factor in maintaining human health and
preventing obesity. It can be a challenge to prepare healthy
meals every day, so convenience tends to take precedence.
However, with the incorporation of healthy and nutritional
food options in an on-site cafeterias and vending machines,
engineers and technologists will be able to maintain a
nutritional diet with ease. Employers can also provide
nutritional counseling and weight-loss management programs,
which teach engineers and technologists now to set meal
plans and achieve goals.
Engineers and technologists typically consume several
meals during work hours, making nutritional programs
an essential part of workplace health and wellness
options include:**
Healthy food choices in vending machines
(refrigerated vending machines can include yogurt
and fresh fruit options)
Work & Life Integration Playbook
31
Healthy food options in cafeteria (organic, low
sodium, low fat, low calorie)
Healthy food options at meetings, company events
and break rooms
Post nutritional information
Access to microwaves and refrigerators so
engineers and technologists can bring meals
from home
Google offers healthy and free meals to its employees that
are color coded so employees can make informed decisions
about what they are consuming. In addition, Google has
incorporated numerous programs to help its employees
maintain healthy eating habits outside of the workplace,
including cooking classes and community gardens.
Providing healthy snacks is a great option for smaller
companies. Spire Consulting Group, LLC brought in a
nutritionist to evaluate its snacks supply and provide
recommendations for improvement. As a result, Spire
decided to order healthy and organic snacks from Whole
Foods for its employees including fresh fruit, vegetables
and raw nuts. Having healthy snack options that are easily
accessible prevents employees from settling for unhealthy
snack options out of convenience.
6. Stress Management &
Awareness Programs
Stress can cause negative impacts to an employees job
performance and attendance that can lead to retention
issues. Not only can employers encourage better work/life
Chapter 3Parental Programs
32
integration, but they can also provide stress management
programs to teach engineers and technologists methods
and guidelines for managing their stress at work and at
home. These programs will also allow employers to identify,
prevent and bring awareness to the root causes of stress
that occur within the company. Ultimately this approach
improves employee engagement and retention.
There are several stress management program options:**
Assessments for burnout, depression and suicide
Condential referrals for counseling
Seminars
Peer mentoring
Yoga/Meditation classes
Massage
Stress reduction room
7. Health Promotion
Health promotion is a key factor to the success of an
employers health and wellness programs. Marketing and
promotion can include health committees, employee health
recognition, posters, messaging, social activities, social
media, monthly newsletters, educational classes, seminars,
new employee orientations, websites, health tools,
newsletters and library resources.**
Incentives also play a big role in the motivation of
employees to participate in wellness programs, with
61 percent of employees saying it is a key reason they
participate and 78 percent claiming they are interested in
participating in incentive-based programs while at work.**
33
Establishing Health &
Wellness Programs at Work
A Health & Wellness Case Study
Author: Anne Marie Johlie
SWE 2004 Work & Life Integration Award Recipient
Employer: Motorola Solutions Inc. (MSI)
Situation:
Finding time to stay healthy is a challenge when we try to
balance work and home responsibilities. The more accessible
healthy solutions are, the more likely we are to take advantage
of them. Unhealthy lifestyles result in higher absenteeism.
Good health results in higher productivity and a better state
of mind.
From a personal standpoint, the information that Motorola
Solutions, Inc. (MSI) wellness team provides inspires me to
lead a healthier life style. I had been having a hard time
nding time to exercise, or to do routine checkups, and my
stress levels were increasing. While you will see there are a
number of programs, the wide variety of programs available
allows our diverse employee population to determine and
take advantage of what appeals for them.
Chapter 3Parental Programs
34
Approach:
In response to rising insurance rates and employee
requests, Motorola Solutions continues to expand their
health and wellness solutions. These opportunities are avail-
able to all employees, male and female.
The health and wellness options include:
An on-site tness center, available for free to all
employees at many work locations and offering:
Cardio, free weights and weight machines
Free tness classes and specialty tness
classes for additional purchase
Personal training
Message therapy
Where on-site tness center does not exist or at
the employers discretion, employees are given an
option to use ex dollars to spend on a tness
center of their choice
Maternity support programs:
Education and pre-screenings
Info on prenatal care and how to prepare for
upcoming work/parent responsibilities
Medical and social service referrals
Access to a 24-hour baby hotline
Lactation breast pump benet
Monthly tness newsletter alerting employees to
wellness options
Health coaching programs with one on one support
for various health issues
Work & Life Integration Playbook
35
An online LiveSMART program:
Links to newsletters
Health insurance information
Information on choosing healthcare providers,
hospitals, drugs and elder care
How to maximize savings
MoveSMART websites:
Fitness activity logs, blood pressure logs, blood
panel logs, weight management and food logs
Incentive programs
Track your health assessments
Osteoporosis risks
On-site health screenings:
Blood screenings for glucose and cholesterol
Blood pressure
Body mass index, height/weight and
waist/hip ratios
Bone mineral density
ColoCare
Prostate specic antigen
On-site and online health education classes.
Classes can be taken at will for incentive points
toward ex dollars. Classes are also recommended
based on employee health assessments.
Examples of classes include:
Seven Steps to a Healthier Heart
Back Care
Stress Management
Chapter 3Parental Programs
36
Nutrition
Diabetes
Fitness challenges such as a team pedometer
challenge
Nurse on site in facilities with manufacturing
Reduced costs for tness equipment such as bike
shirts, sports watches and heart-rate monitors
Reduced costs for sports leagues at nearby
facilities, such as racquetball, bowling, softball, etc
On-site facilities for outdoor activities, such as
baseball, softball, Frisbee, volleyball, walking/
running path
Fun activities such as a table tennis tourney or
a chili challenge
Healthy active families
Healthy recipes
Bike-to-work challenges
Insurance coverage for health, mental health,
dental and vision
On-site mammograms
The tness center encourages employees to reach their
full potential by providing guidance and encouragement for
people challenging themselves to improve. They prole a
member each month that is striving for a higher goal or who
has recently accomplished a signicant tness achievement.

Results:
Employers can expect these benets as a result of
implementing health and wellness programs:
Work & Life Integration Playbook
37
Happier, more satised employees
Increased employee retention
An attractive benet for use as a recruiting tool
Fewer days of lost employee work as a result of
healthier employees
Reduced healthcare costs as a result of healthier
employees and dependents
The wellness center inspires employees to take the initiative
to improve themselves and their co-workers health. In the
years since the wellness center was built, I have personally
witnessed friends dramatically improve their health. Entire
departments have created their own Biggest Loser
programs to encourage people on their staff to lose weight.
Other departments have started running at work programs
to prepare for marathons and half marathons. In the summer
months, employees are encouraged to bike to work and
a Frisbee group meets at lunch. There are many other
examples of people who leverage the wellness center
information while starting their own initiatives.
I have personally beneted by taking tness classes at
work, taking advantage of the bike to work challenge
during good weather and the health screenings at work,
which makes getting this taken care of more convenient. I
have lost weight, reduced stress and improved my health
assessments year over year. I especially enjoy taking a
strength training class during lunch, which allows me to get
exercise, reduce stress and enjoy the company of friends.
Chapter 3Parental Programs
38
Creating a Culture of Health
through Well at Dell
A Health & Wellness Case Study
Author: Tre McCalister, Global Health Strategist, Benets
Employer: Dell
Description of the Well at Dell Program:
Launched in 2004, Dells Well at Dell comprehensive
wellness program gives employees access to a range
of resources. Well at Dell was created from a request by
Michael Dell that we put programs in place to keep healthy
team members well, not just focusing solely on healthcare
treatment and illness.
Dell provides a 24-hour nurse hotline, where nurses can
provide health decisions support, schedule appointments
for participants with in-network physicians and connect via
warm transfer to all of the comprehensive Well at Dell health
improvement programs, including:
Lifestyle coaching for health-risk reduction
Condition management programs for maternity
decision support (normal and high risk)
Diabetes management
Back pain management
Heart disease
Work & Life Integration Playbook
39
Dell provides individualized health coaching and online health
management programs to help improve the health of the
population and to assist participants in managing existing
health conditions.
In addition to these resources, team members and spouses/
domestic partners who are participating in programs for
diabetes, hypertension or tobacco cessation are also eligible
for a reduced or waived cost for related medications and
supplies to encourage compliance with evidence-based
guidelines for optimal treatment. They are also invited to
participate in periodic wellness challenges that employ
Dell leadership/management champions sharing success
stories. These challenges are designed to build camaraderie
and increase motivation/engagement in supporting and
maintaining Dell team health and well-being.
Benet of the Well at Dell Program:
In addition to seeing a population health risk reduction in
participants, Dell has also experienced a positive return
on investment from its health management programs.
Program participation in 2012 was analyzed by tracking
cost trends over time: pre-participation to post-participation
compared to non-participants (overall program savings were
estimated separately for employees and spouses). Savings
were estimated by individual programs for employees and
spouses including:
Health risk appraisal
Lifestyle management health coaching
Disease management
Chapter 3Parental Programs
40
In the last year, more than 66 percent domestic team members
and 44 percent of Dells spouses/domestic partners covered
by Dell medical have participated in the program.
What Well at Dell Looks Like:
Dell provides outcome-based incentives to encourage team
members to stay engaged in their health. Participants are
asked to complete an annual health survey prior to selecting
their healthcare benets (as a part of assessing their health).
If team members and medically covered spouses/domestic
partners meet four health goals, they pay less in medical
premiums. If they do not meet the goals, they are invited to
participate in a health coaching program where they can
still earn the medical premium reduction through completing
personalized coaching programs and making progress to-
ward or achieving their health goals, before the next benets
election period (11 months to achieve or make progress
toward the health goals working with a free health coach).
The 2012 Well at Dell goals were taken from CDC guidelines:
BMI < 30
Physical activity 150 minutes/week
Blood pressure < 140/90
Tobacco free
Dell team members have access to on-site clinics with
physicians, nurse practitioners/physician assistants and
clinic team in Round Rock, Texas (with satellite clinic support
at our Austin campus) as well as a full-time clinic in Plano,
Texas. On-site clinics at our corporate ofce will provide
virtual visits, as well as convenient/free delivery of prescriptions
written by on-site clinic physicians. Free health screenings
Work & Life Integration Playbook
41
are offered at all Dell sites with 200 or more team members.
Worksite tness centers (with minimal membership fees at
$15/month) and free t zones (mini-activity rooms with free
access to exercise equipment) encourage physical activity
at many of the larger Dell campuses. Dell cafeterias offer
healthy food options at locations around the globe.
Dell also offers healthy food choices at all stations in the
cafeterias and prices them strategically to encourage their
purchase. For example, fresh fruit or veggies and a grilled
turkey burger are less expensive than a hamburger and
French fries and bottled water is less expensive than a
soft drink.
In addition to the on-site resources, during the past two
years Dell has initiated a Connected Workforce initiative
to encourage team members to work remotely to assist
with the balance of work and life demands and to enhance
team member productivity by reducing commute times.
This initiative supports business productivity as well as
enabling team members exibility, which may help reduce
psychological stressors associated with work life balance,
and support optimal health and wellness.
Resources to Maintain:
The Well at Dell program is led by the benets/HR
organization, but it is also a partnership between many other
groups, such as:
Facilities (manages on-site cafes and tness centers)
Environmental health and safety (manages
on-site nurses)
Diversity/work-life effectiveness
Chapter 3Parental Programs
42
Risk management/workers compensation
Business operations
All Dell teams and their suppliers support Well at Dell
and encourage direct integration between on-site and
virtual teams among the insurance, program providers,
administrators and health advocates. This collaboration and
integration fosters a healthy work environment and provides
assistance to help participants access the right healthcare
resources at the right time. The Well at Dell program is an
integral component of Dells overall healthcare strategy as
well as an important aspect of Dells business strategy,
supporting company growth and feasibility through optimal
health and performance.
Sustaining the Program:
Well at Dell is an integral part of the companys culture and
work environment. Communications about the Dell health
and wellness programs focus on ease of access to relevant
health information at the right time for all participants. Dell
uses many communication avenues to engage employee
and family members. Well at Dell employs a robust
multimedia communications strategy, aligned with Dells
People Strategy.
Some examples of communications about Well at Dell are:
Monthly wellness team meetings: occupational
nurses, tness centers, site communication teams,
all meetings/webinars are recorded and posted so
they can be used on-demand for multiple shifts
of team members and incorporated into
management meetings.
Work & Life Integration Playbook
43
Targeted communications from vendors featuring
Dell-approved branding to ensure consistency,
measuring effectiveness of messages analyzed
(open rates and click thru rates) and used to
improve ongoing communications
Health plans and health improvement suppliers
participate in monthly integration conference calls
and on-site quarterly vendor operations meetings.
These meetings serve as an opportunity for each
vendor to provide current reporting data for their
programs as well as a chance to collaborate
and brainstorm about improving the Well at Dell
experience for Dell participants.
Company-wide program and personal success
stories are promoted on internal blogs and social
media, and the Well at Dell Benets site where
participants access information on all benets
programs and services during annual enrollment
and year round.
Message boards are used to share information
as well as to connect Dells employees and their
families with one another, professional health
experts and millions of people around the globe.
Dell launched its rst Global Social Media Wellness
Challenge in 2012, with 19 different countries and more
than 600 different group activities being posted by team
members around the world. Several Dell executive leaders
shared their personal success stories on Dells global blog
and encouraged team members and families to participate
in the wellness challenge.
CHAPTER 4
Dependent Care
45

Dependent Care
While generally thought of as child care, dependent care
can also include elderly care and care for other individuals
who are dependent on family or friends to help them get
through each day. This dependency on an employees can
cause immense stress. Some options of dependent care
include on-site childcare or childcare discounts, eldercare
and disability care options, and backup dependent care
options.
1. Why is Dependent Care Important to
Work & Life Integration?
Caring for dependents can be stressful and can inuence
ones work prociency. Along with providing exible work
environments for employees, dependent care options
can improve overall job satisfaction and relieve some
employee stress. It can also be a tool for recruitment and
retention. Providing exible schedules and telecommuting
opportunities for employees can help them handle some of
the stress. This is especially important to employers as less
stressed employees are more committed to the work they
are doing and as a sign of higher production rates.
Chapter 4Parental Programs
46
2. On-Site Childcare
On-site child care is a great way to keep employees
connected to their children throughout the day. It can also
help improve quality of life since employees can visit their
children during breaks or lunches. Of women surveyed,
14 percent had on-site childcare but only three percent
had used it.**
3. Childcare Discounts
If on-site childcare is not feasible, then discounts at quality
childcare chains can greatly reduce the stress for employees
to nd quality care. When a childcare center is near the
ofce building, employees can have the opportunity to stay
connected with their children throughout the day. By creating
partnerships with childcare providers, companies can offer
priority registration to employees. Only 25 percent of women
said a referral system was available and much less had
used it (six percent). And only nine percent had subsidized
childcare available, with only two percent using it.**
4. Eldercare Options
Caring for a parent involves different challenges, and these
can be met through employee programs. Much like childcare
discounts, discounts at eldercare chains can greatly reduce
stress for employees to nd quality care. A dismal 11 percent
said eldercare support was available but only two percent
had used it.**
5. Disability Care Options
Caring for disabled dependents can have similar difculties
as both childcare and eldercare. Having discounts with
Work & Life Integration Playbook
47
chains that provide care for those with disabilities can
also decrease the stress on employees. Organizations like
LivHome provide both eldercare and care for adult children
with disabilities.
6. Backup Dependent Care Programs
Programs that provide limited-use dependent care options
when regularly planned care falls through. These can include
in-home care for well or mildly-ill children and in-home care
for adults/eldercare or backup childcare. Organizations, like
Bright Horizons, exist to provide these services.
48
The Home Depots
Little Apron Academy
A Dependent Care Case Study
Authors: Brant Suddath, Director of Benets
and Meghan Mitchell, Sr. Manager, Benets
Employer: The Home Depot
Three years ago, the leadership at The Home Depot went
to work to provide an innovative program that would
support their working parents wherever they work. The team
partnered with numerous corporate partners and spent time
in their area learning from other organizations with on-site
centers. They also toured many childcare centers to better
understand and identify what they needed to consider when
designing their own center. Early on, the team involved
many experts in the eld of childcare services, construction
experts and architects to design the program and amenities
they needed to offer.
The Little Apron Academy was designed to accommodate
278 children and 48 campers with 22 classrooms, making
this center the largest in Georgia. The center is open
Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. They
support infants, six months in age to ve year olds. During
the summer, the center provides Summer Camps for
Work & Life Integration Playbook
49
children six to twelve years old. The center also serves as a
backup center for all Atlanta employees.
The Home Depot team provided the proposal to their
leadership team to gain support for the proposal. This
leadership support was instrumental to the success of the
program. The leadership at The Home Depot supported
this project since it provided a solution for both Atlanta-
based associates and eld associates. The leadership at
The Home Depot also supports a corporate culture of work
& life integration. At the end of the day, The Home Depot
leadership supported the project; it strategically t their
corporate values.
It can be difcult to create a solution that works for
everyone. The Home Depot partnered with Bright Horizons
to not only design the on-site center, but also to create a
Back-Up Dependent Care Program for all associates in the
eld. This Back-Up Care provides time to dedicate to self or
dependents to gain the care needed within the associates
local area. Other considerations include whether the
facility is leased or owned the liability of the program being
managed by an outsourced organization for all management
and operations of the center and the signicant investment if
the center needs to be built.
The Home Depot Little Apron Academy fees were designed
to be competitively priced for their area. The Home Depot
benchmarked other service providers to set fees at or
below the average. This provides a very competitive pricing
structure for employees.
Chapter 4Parental Programs
50
Overall, this program is a key competitive solution for The
Home Depot to gain the talent they need to support their
business and the needs of working parents.
Little Apron Academy

CHAPTER 5
Financial
52

Financial
Merriam-Webster denes nance as money or other liquid
resources of a government, business, group, or individual.
The Financial Planning Association denes nancial planning
as the long-term process of wisely managing your nances
so you can achieve your goals and dreams, while at the
same time negotiating the nancial barriers that inevitably
arise in every stage of life. Remember, nancial planning is a
process, not a product.
Financials in terms of Work & Life Integration can include
income, expenditures, loans and credit, assets, savings,
investments and future planning. Funds are allocated
between bills, savings, and expenditures base on certainties,
uncertainties and future expectations. Heads of households
must make nancial decisions daily and education along
with nancial assistance programs can make these
decisions easier.

Work & Life Integration Playbook
53

1. Why is Financial Important to Work &
Life Integration?
Benets for Employees:
Financial discounts and aid can greatly reduce
monthly expenditures for employees and the
reduction in expenses can often lead to an
increase in household savings
An increase of employee nancial planning and
education can help the employee to provide for
dependents with condence and ease
By decreasing nancial burdens, an employer can
decrease employee stress levels and improve overall
employee health and wellness
Benets for Employers:
Employers may see an increase in productivity
because employees with less personal nancial
stress are often more productive and able to focus
on their work without personal distractions.
A commitment to employee nancial assistance can
increase employee retention and nancially benet
the employer in the long-run because nancial
benets show employees that employers are
committed to their well-being.
Employees and managers who are able to budget
and manage their personal nances will be able to
budget and manage company nances, leading
to a decrease in unnecessary spending and an
increase in prots.
Chapter 5Parental Programs
54
Financial burdens are often key areas of stress for many
families. In a survey of 400 people conducted by the SWE
Mega-Issues Committee, 14 percent of responders cited
nancial concern as their biggest struggle in maintaining their
work-life balance. Companies should make a commitment
to assist employees in dealing with nancial burdens to
decrease stress. A decrease in employee stress will often
lead to increased employee retention and productivity in the
work place. Employers can provide nancial assistance,
savings plans and employee discounts, as well as education
for employees in the form of nancial planning seminars
or classes.
In todays world more women are becoming the
breadwinners for their families, especially due to spouses
losing jobs during times of nancial crisis and single-parent
homes, resulting from divorce or choosing to marry later in
life. Prudentials 2012-2013 Research Study reported that
53 percent of more than 1,400 women surveyed were
primary earners, and only 23 percent of these women
feel well-prepared to make nancial decisions. Employee
education and training regarding nances and nancial
planning would signicantly benet female employees who
have to make these decisions for their dependents. Female
engineers are especially in need of nancial education and
assistance because engineers typically do well nancially,
often earning an above-average salary or wage. Acting
as the primary earner can put a large amount of stress
on a woman with an increased need to be savvy with her
nances. Increasing nancial assistance and education
for employees will also promote a feeling of well-being for
employees and improve Work & Life Integration for all.
Work & Life Integration Playbook
55
2. Financial Planning Education
and Seminars
According to a National Association for Colleges and
Employers (NACE) Salary Survey, the annual salary earned
by engineers is higher than any other discipline. In 2010,
engineering graduates received an average of $60,970
and in 2011, the average salary increased by 1.5 percent
to $61,870. Since engineers earn more than most other
disciplines on average, personal nancial plans and budgets
are required to manage large annual salaries efciently
and effectively. A budget has many parts but is the basic
foundation of money management, whether managing
personal nances or a Fortune 500 companys nances.
Budgets should be broken down and each debit or credit
should be itemized with detailed descriptions. Learning
how to budget effectively early on in ones career is a critical
competency for any engineer, because engineers often
become the managers who are responsible for writing the
budgets and managing employers nancials. Specically,
engineers should be trained to develop useful prot and loss
balance sheets. Budget training will benet the engineer,
who will be able to manage personal or family nances, as
well as the employer, who will have competent employees
managing the companys money.
Along with budget training, employers should also provide
training for young engineers, especially because many
engineers leave college (sometimes with student loan debt)
and quickly begin earning large salaries accompanied
by frequent bonuses. Financial advisers could give
recommendations to employees on what to do with ones
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rst bonus, including investment options and debt-reduction
plans. Debt-management seminars should also be provided
to employees since many of them will incur some form of
debt during their career. Along with debt management,
employees should also receive education about credit
scores. All employees would benet from learning exactly
what a credit score is, what the different credit scores mean
and how to manage them wisely. With more education,
employees will make more informed and condent decisions
regarding their personal and family nances, this will allow
them to focus their attention while at work rather than
worrying about nancial stressors.
Financial education regarding savings plans, 401K plans,
investment decisions and other portfolio management issues
can be a great benet to employees and even reduce stress
among the workforce. By educating employees on how to
use already offered benets, employees will be able to take
advantage of all programs offered by the employer or the
government. Seminars can be held on-site and often at low
cost to the employer.
Financial education information and seminars can also be
accessed online through institutions such as TIAA-CREF
Financial Services, the Society for Financial Education and
Professional Development, and other credit institutions or
unions. In this way webinars can be provided to employees,
which makes participation from remote locations especially
easy. Face-to-face or instructor-led seminars can also be
provided on-site at a company training center or conference
center allowing employees to attend without missing work.
Work & Life Integration Playbook
57
3. Flexible Spending or Flex Accounts
A exible spending account is an account where an
employee can contribute money from their salary before
taxes are withheld then get reimbursed for out-of-pocket
healthcare and dependent care expenses.** There are
typically three types of ex accounts offered: a healthcare
exible spending account, a limited expense healthcare
exible spending account and a dependent care exible
spending account.**
Flex accounts that are easy to use will provide signicant
savings opportunities for employees. Funds are set aside
from the employees earnings for certain qualied expenses,
(often medical expenses) over a certain period of time, often
a year. Employees save money, because money deducted
from the employees income for this purpose is not subject
to payroll taxes. However, enrollment does not carry forward
year to year.
For example, lets say you make $1,000 per pay-date that
means you pay taxes on $1,000 per pay date. If you put $20
per pay date in the exible spending account then you only
pay taxes on $980 per pay date. You save money by paying
less in taxes. You get the money in your account(s) back
when you submit timely claims for eligible expenses. This is
an easy way to save money on the services and products
that you already spend money on.
Employees are often reimbursed for expenses after
submitting claims via an online service. A debit card
could also be used to pay for medical expenses from the
employees ex account directly, which would eliminate the
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waiting period required for reimbursement. The ex
account fund can be helpful for employees who acquire
unexpected medical bills during the year, such as a trip to
the emergency room.
4. Retirement Plans
Retirement can last for 30 years or more, and one might
need up to 80 percent of your current annual income to
retire comfortably. The average monthly benet paid by the
Social Security Administration is $1,200. Many employers
offer traditional individual retirement accounts (IRAs) and
401K accounts. Employers can also provide exibility for
other investment options such as ROTH 401k accounts,
in which money is contributed after taxes and are not taxed
on qualied distributions.
The IRS recognizes the following types of Retirement Plans:
Individual Retirement Arrangements (IRAs), Roth IRAs, 401(k)
Plans, 403(b) Plans, SIMPLE IRA Plans (Savings Incentive
Match Plans for Employees), SEP Plans (Simplied Employee
Pension), SARSEP Plans (Salary Reduction Simplied
Employee Pension), Payroll Deduction IRAs, Prot-Sharing
Plans, Dened Benet Plans, Money Purchase Plans, Employee
Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs), Governmental Plans, 457
Plans, 409A Non-qualied Deferred Compensation Plans.
Why should you set up a retirement plan, and
what are some of the benets?
A retirement plan has lots of benets for you, your business
and your employees. Retirement plans allow you to invest
now for nancial security when you and your employees
retire. As a bonus, you and your employees get signicant
Work & Life Integration Playbook
59
tax advantages and other incentives. The business
benets include:
Employer contributions are tax-deductible.
Assets in the plan grow tax-free.
Flexible plan options are available.
Tax credits and other incentives for starting a plan
may reduce costs.
A retirement plan can attract and retain better
employees, reducing training costs.
The employee benets include:
Employee contributions can reduce current
taxable income.
Contributions and investment gains are not
taxed until distributed.
Contributions are easy to make through
payroll deductions.
Compounding interest over time allows small,
regular contributions to grow into signicant
retirement savings.
Retirement assets can be carried from one
employer to another.
Savers credit is available.
Employee has an opportunity to improve nancial
security in retirement.
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The following demonstrates the potential for future value
from retirement savings:
Monthly
Savings
5 Years @
6 percent
Return
15 Years @
6 percent
Return
20 Years @
6 percent
Return
$50 $3,506 $14,614 $23,218
$200 $14,024 $58,456 $92,870
$500 $5,059 $146,136 $232,176
What are the rst steps to learning about and
setting up a retirement plan?
A good place to start is by contacting a tax professional
familiar with retirement plans or a nancial institution that
offers retirement plans. Helpful reading materials and IRS
websites are listed at the end of this section.
What are the stages of sponsoring a
retirement plan?
Sponsoring a retirement plan has four stages: Choosing,
Establishing, Operating and Terminating the plan.
Choosing. You begin by:
Thinking ahead toward retirement in general
Learning about the specic ways that money
can be put aside for you and your employees
retirement, including types of tax-qualied
retirement plans.
Establishing. You take the necessary steps to put
your plan in place. Depending on the type of plan
you choose, the administrative steps may include:
Adopting a written plan
Work & Life Integration Playbook
61
Arranging a fund for the plans assets
Notifying eligible employees about the terms of
the plan
Developing a recordkeeping system.
Operating. You want to operate your retirement
plan so that the assets in the plan continue to grow
and the tax benets of the plan are preserved.
The ongoing steps you need to take may vary
depending on the type of plan you establish.
Your basic steps will include:
Covering eligible employees
Making contributions
Keeping the plan up-to-date with retirement
plan laws
Managing the plan assets
Providing information to employees participating
in the plan
Distributing benets
Terminating. When your plan no longer suits your
business you will close out the plan and notify the
appropriate parties.
You may want to discuss these four stages with a tax
professional familiar with retirement plans or a nancial
institution that offers retirement plans.
5. Employee Stock Purchase Plans*
All publicly traded companies can provide options for all
employees to purchase stock at a price that is less than
market value each year. Employees are able to choose
to participate each year and purchase up to a certain
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percentage of their salary in company stock options. The
stock can then be sold on the market to provide extra
income for the employee during the year. The stock
purchasing plans often allow for easy liquidation of funds
or long-term savings for the future or retirement.
How Stock Purchase Plans Work
Under a typical stock purchase plan employees are given
an option to purchase their employers stock, generally at
a discounted price at the end of an offering period. Prior to
each offering period eligible employees indicate if they wish
to participate in the plan.
If the employee wishes to participate, he/she indicates
the percentage or dollar amount of compensation to be
deducted from their payroll during the offering period. The
percentage or dollar amount employees are allowed to
contribute varies by plan. However, the IRS limits the total
purchase to $25,000 annually.
Under most stock purchase plans, the purchase price is set
at a discount from the fair market value. While some plans
provide that the discount is applied to the value on the stock
on the purchase date (e.g., 85 percent of the fair market
value on that date), it is more common to apply the discount
to the value of the stock on the rst or last day of the offering
periodwhichever is lower.
Most plans allow employees to increase or decrease their
payroll deduction percentage at any time during the offering
period. Each plan is unique; your plan materials will detail
how a specic plan works.
Work & Life Integration Playbook
63
There are two types of employee stock purchase plans,
classied by their tax status:
Qualied Employee Stock Purchase Plans (Section 423)
meet conditions described by Section 423 of the Internal
Revenue Code. There is special tax treatment for shares that
are held for more than a year. A qualied plan must meet the
following requirements:
Only employees of the company (or its parent or
subsidiary corporations) may participate in the plan
The purchase plan must be approved by the share-
holders of the company within the 12 months before
it is adopted by the board.
Any employee owning more than ve percent of the
company stock may not participate in the plan
All eligible employees must be allowed to participate
in the plan, although certain categories of employees
may be excluded (e.g. employees employed for less
than two years)
All employees must enjoy the same rights and
privileges under the plan, except that the amount
of stock that may be purchased may be based on
compensation differences
The purchase price may not be less than the lesser
of 85 percent of the fair market value of the stock 1)
at the beginning of the offering period, or 2) on the
purchase date
The maximum offering period may not exceed 27
months unless the purchase price is based solely on
the fair market value at time of purchase, in which
case the offering period may be as long as ve years
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64
An employee may not purchase more than $25,000
worth of stock (based on fair market value on the
rst day of the offering period) for each calendar
year in which the offering period is in effect
Non-Qualied Employee Stock Purchase Plans
(Non-Section 423 Employee Stock Purchase Plans) are
simple payroll deduction plans that allow employees to
purchase company stock, sometimes at a discount. There
is no special tax treatment of any proceeds and the plan is
not necessarily available to all employees.
Advantages of Employee Stock Purchase Plans
These plans are usually easy and convenient to set up and
encourage saving and investing. Employees dont have to
commit to a specic number of shares each pay period.
They select a dollar amount or a percentage of a paycheck
and every purchase period a number of shares are purchased
based on contributions.
Stock purchase plans can also benet employers because
stock options can be an effective employee retention and
incentive tool. Stock purchase plans help employees think
more like an owner, which aligns their interests with those
of shareholders.
6. Adoption Assistance
Adoptions can have a large nancial impact on families,
especially in terms of legal expenses. WorkingMother.com
reports that only nine percent of all companies in the United
States offer adoption assistance, which includes only 93 of
the 2012 Working Mother 100 Best Companies.
Work & Life Integration Playbook
65
According to Time Magazine adoption has become an
employment issue. Because more women delay parenthood
to pursue careers during their prime childbearing years,
some seek alternative avenues to build their families. With
each adoption costing up to $30,000 and often demanding
mounds of paperwork and weeks of travel, workers are
asking their employers for help. Theyre getting it, mainly from
companies in competitive industries hungry to attract and
keep talent. Google, JPMorgan Chase, Abbott Laboratories,
Avon and Motorola have all added adoption assistance to
their buffet of benets. In 1990, only 12 percent of 1,000
companies surveyed by Hewitt Associates offered nancial
assistance for adoption. By 2006, 45 percent of companies did.
Employees could greatly benet from nancial assistance
or loans from companies at the time of the adoption and
companies can improve their retention rate by supporting
employees in pursuit of parenthood via adoption. Time
Magazine states that Capital One provides $5,000 in
assistance per child, plus six weeks of paid leave for adopting
parents. Google provides its employees with up to $5,000
in nancial assistance. GE also provides nancial adoption
assistance for employees.
An employer can choose to give employee nancial
assistance upfront or in the form of reimbursement, for
which the employer can easily use programs already in
place for employee reimbursement or payment.
7. College Savings Plans
A college education is an advantage that many parents
desire for their children, and most parents try to give their
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66
children every advantage possible. Female engineers are
no different. Engineers are college educated and often hold
advanced degrees. The children of engineers are likely to
attend some form of university or secondary educational
institute. Engineer parents or relatives of engineers will
also want to provide for their childrens college education
nancially. Employers can help their employees set up
college savings plans for future generations.
If an employer provides a college savings plan, employees can
use that to save for their own future educational endeavors.
Engineers may want to pursue higher, more specialized
degrees to improve their skills for their job. Engineers and
other employees can also pursue other educational
opportunities, such as MBA degrees. The employer would
benet from employees who are more educated and have
more skills to bring to the table.
College savings plans are similar to exible savings accounts
in that money can be set aside for future expenses and the
accounts are often tax-deferred. A designated amount of
money would be deducted from the employees income and
placed into a fund. The sooner the college fund is started,
the longer the fund will have to grow, so college savings
plans should be started early. The employer could provide
nancial matches for employees who are contributing to
college savings plans. The employer could also give merit
awards to the children of employees in the form of cash or
securities, which can be added to the college saving account.
Edward Jones Financial recommends several types of
college savings plans:
Work & Life Integration Playbook
67
529 College Savings Plans. A 529 plan is a
savings account that allows money to grow tax
deferred. Withdrawals for qualied college expenses
are federal income tax-free. Some states also offer
upfront tax deductions.
Coverdell Education Savings Account. Similar
to a 529 plan, a Coverdell is an account that allows
the employees earnings to grow tax deferred. If
the student uses the money to pay for qualied
education expenses, withdrawals are tax-free.
Custodial Account. Custodial accounts are often
used to save money for future college costs. A
custodial account is designed to allow an adult(s)
to make irrevocable gifts to a minor(s) in the form of
cash or securities.
Zero Coupon Bonds. Zero coupon bonds are
purchased at a discount to their face value but dont
have regular interest payments. When the bonds
mature, however, the student would receive the full
face value. The longer the maturity, the greater the
discount the owner of the bond receives.
Insurance Protection. Consider life insurance as
an option. An employee can take out a loan against
the value of an insurance policy to pay for education
expenses.
Money from a college savings plan can be withdrawn by a
student and used for tuition, fees, books, supplies, room
and board, and computer, software or Internet services
specically required for coursework.
All of the college savings plans should be evaluated for
eligibility because funds can only be paid out to eligible
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68
students for eligible expenses. Each plan denes eligible
students and expenses differently, and the employee should
verify that their student will qualify for the benets before
contributing to the college savings plan.
8. Subsidies
The Working Mother Report published by Ernst and Young
in the What Moms Choose study reports that many
career-oriented, stay-at-home moms stay home because of
nancial reasons. In the survey, 35 percent of stay-at-home
moms reported that the cost of childcare requires them
to stay at home and take care of their dependents. Also,
26 percent of responders stated that the salary I earned
did not justify the cost of working as a contributing factor
to their decision to stop working. An employer can retain
a career-oriented mother working by providing subsidies
and discounts to employees. The study also reported
that career-oriented mothers are not just collecting a
paycheck, but rather developing talent, achieving goals
and contributing positively to their employers bottom line by
maintaining a high level of engagement and commitment to
their work. Employers can commit to career-oriented moms
by offering direct nancial assistance in a variety of programs.
An employer may give incentives to employees for using direct
deposit options or a designated banking service. Using direct
deposit systems can save businesses money by reducing
printing and postage costs for payroll and paychecks. The
paperless option is also eco-friendly. Some companies also
use designated banks or credit unions, which may offer an
employer discount or rewards program for having employees
enroll in this designated credit institution. In return, the
Work & Life Integration Playbook
69
employer is able to offer a rewards program to its employees
for using the designated bank or credit union.
Employer-negotiated discounts can greatly benet employees
and also can increase income for the business with which
the discount was negotiated. Discounts can be secured with
local service providers that receive business from employees,
which help the local economy as well as the employees. By
helping the local economy, the employer is able to contribute
to the local community positively. For example, childcare
discounts could be negotiated for employees to save on
childcare expenses at local daycares. Agreements such as
this often require no upfront costs from the employer; the
employer just needs to make it a priority.
Examples include cellphone plan discounts up to 19 percent
(offered by Total Petrochemicals, Inc. and Utah State
University) and vehicle manufacturer discounts on Ford, GM
and Toyota (offered by Total Petrochemicals, Inc. and The
Dow Chemical Company).
Work & Life Integration affects women and men alike and
can be a signicant concern working in an engineering or
technical eld. Creative solutions exist and work within many
U.S. corporations today. We have highlighted several case
studies to demonstrate and recognize the progressive
solutions that exist today in leading corporations. International
standards exist today that lay the foundation and dene
the requirements of paid leave with job protection. Many
progressive countries in the world meet or exceed these
standards for their citizens. Work & Life Integration is not
Chapter 5Parental Programs
70
an unachievable dream. It becomes a reality with the
leadership, priority and support needed to implement these
programs and standards.
The Society of Women Engineers would like to
thank the authors and contributors to this
summary of research and recommendations for
their enthusiastic support in sharing the best
practices that exist today and which lead to
awareness and progress to meet the needs of
SWE members and constituents.
References
72
References
The following references are presented as links for further
research into Work & Life Integration topics:
Telecommuting + Flextime = More Productive Corporate
Workforce
The Power Study
What Moms Choose 2011, Working Mother Research Institute
International Labour Organization 2010, Maternity at Work
Family and Medical Leave Enhancement Act of 2011
Setting Up Your Own Personal Lactation Room
Break Time For Nursing Mothers
Expectant Mother Parking Policy
Parking Signs
Companies bring childcare on-site to keep workers
lives balanced
Lifecare Backup Childcare Options
Bureau of Labor Statistics
United States Census Bureau
World Health Organization
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
U.S. Lags in Family-Friendly Workplaces, CBS News
January 2012 Salary Survey, National Association of Colleges
and Employers
Authors
Karla Tankersley served as the chair
of the Work & Life Integration Playbook
committee. Karla graduated from The
University of Cincinnati with a masters
and bachelors degrees in Industrial
Engineering. She currently works as
an engineering leader for Cornerstone
Brands, a division of HSN. Karla is a life
member of SWE and an FY14 Region G
Senator. Karla is the author of The Free
Agent: The Playbook for the Technical
Professional.

Kate Hull graduated from the University
of Texas at Austin with a bachelors degree
in architectural engineering and a masters
degree in civil engineering. She currently
works as a construction engineering
consultant at Spire Consulting Group,
LLC in Austin, Texas, where she provides
claims and litigation support to clients in
complex, construction related disputes.
Kate has been an active member of SWE
since 2004 and served as FY14 Region
C Senator.
Wendy Merkley has a bachelors degree
in civil engineering and is nishing up a
masters in environmental engineering.
She looks forward to using her degrees as
an environmental engineer. Wendy served
as the Region B Collegiate Senator.


Olivia LeBlanc graduated from Louisiana
State University with a bachelors degree in
chemical engineering. She currently works
in the chemical manufacturing
industry. Olivia is a FY14 Collegiate
Senator for Region C.

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