The national charity for working parents and carers, Working Families, has announced that ILF Scotland has been awarded a place on its prestigious and competitive list of the top family-friendly employers in the UK.
Employers were assessed using Working Families’ Benchmark and were scored on their flexible and family-friendly policies and practices that specifically support parents and carers.
ILF Scotland gained its place on the list by showcasing its flexible and family-friendly approach to work. No matter their individual circumstances, ILF Scotland encourages any employee to work flexibly, including working from home, in order to help ensure a healthy work-life balance.
The organisation has also established a number of family-friendly working policies including 26 weeks full pay and 26 weeks half pay for staff taking Maternity Leave, Adoption Leave or Shared Parental Leave, 8 weeks full pay for those taking Paternity Leave as well as Emergency Leave and time-off for dependants.
ILF Scotland’s Head of Business Services, Aileen McNiven, said:
“ILF Scotland’s overall aspiration is to make independent living a reality for all disabled people. By giving our staff choice and control we enable them to give their best, and in turn to deliver even better outcomes for disabled people. This flexibility has also enabled ILF Scotland to establish itself as a high performing public body, highly regarded by disabled people, their family members, communities, and other organisations.
“Family friendly – or life friendly – working for us has never been about work hours or attendance patterns. It is a philosophical approach to better understanding the personal circumstances of our staff and working together to design a work package which supports all involved. In our own journey to a flexible and more inclusive workplace, we’ve found that in the long term we recruit and retain high calibre, highly motivated and loyal individuals.
“To work for an organisation that respects, trusts and cares for colleagues in the way that ILF Scotland does is a constant inspiration and privilege. We’re thrilled to have been awarded this fantastic accolade and to be recognised as one of the best family-friendly workplaces.”
Now in its fourteenth year, employers large and small from across the public, private, and third sectors compete annually to gain a coveted place on the charity’s list of Top Employers for Working Families. This is ILF Scotland’s sixth year in the Top 30.
Jane van Zyl, CEO of Working Families, said:
“We are delighted with the standard of entries for this year’s Top Employers for Working Families list. These employers show they are leading the way in building family-friendly and flexible workplaces in the UK and are already ahead of the curve when it comes to implementing the changes needed to comply with the new flexible working legislation coming into practice next year. Almost nine out of ten of our Benchmark entrants are already offering flexible working as a day one right.”
