Verification as partner of Familie & Beruf Management GmbH: Audit workandfamily

The Audit workandfamily is a consulting tool for companies, non-profit organizations and public-service institutions that want to specifically develop their family focus in order to profit from the resulting positive economic effects. Today better compatibility of family and job is a big challenge for the parents as well as the employers. At the same time, positively dealing with this field of tension bears chances for all the persons involved. Once the working conditions are family friendly, this will increase the employees’ motivation and loyalty and make them even more committed to serving their company. In economic terms, family focused corporate policy will lead to economic profit. The Audit workandfamily is a qualified and mature tool offering companies the opportunity of defining and evaluating family friendly action and of profiting from the results, no matter how big they are and in what sector they are active. Companies and organizations implementing the Audit workandfamily will be awarded a Quality Seal by the Federal Ministry of Women, Families and Youth. Quality Austria as a cooperation partner provides experienced auditors and assessors for this purpose.

• Higher staff motivation
• Higher commitment to performance and productivity in the company
• Stress reduction for employees
• Lower absenteeism rate and reduction in cost-intensive employee fluctuation
• Enhanced competitiveness

Further information can be found in www.familieundberuf.at. 

An independent auditor will review the internal auditing process. Upon successful completion, the company receives a basic certificate. After 3 years, the activities for the compatibility of family and work will be newly evaluated. With a positive evaluation, the company will be awarded the Work & Family Audit certificate for another three years.

In a workandfamily Audit, the family friendliness of a company is evaluated on the basis of a criteria catalogue. This criteria catalogue examines the ten central categories of a family-friendly corporate policy:

1. Working Hours 
Flexible working times and leaves.

2. Work Flows and Work Content 
Flexible scheduling of tasks, self-organizing teams or multi-functional personnel placement.

3. Workplace 
Flexible work location, work-at-home options, work sharing.

4. Information and Communications Policies 
Publicizing and communicating family-friendly initiatives in corporate media, consultations, seminars, project groups and mission statements.

5. Leadership 
Supervisors supportive of family-friendly initiatives.

6. Human Resources Development 
Equal right for employees with or without families, family-friendly qualification criteria, recognition and support of key expertise.

7. Composition of Salaries And Monetary Benefits 
Suited to the need of families such as special bonuses, discounts on certain products, family members availing of "fringe benefits".

8. Accompanying Services for Families 
Corporate support of family management tasks such as coordinating household help, concierge services, child minding.

9. Specific Features of the Company 
Initiatives with outcomes specific to companies. All relevant initiatives will be considered and evaluated in this category during an audit.

10. Company and Staff Policy Data Models
In order to measure the concrete success of family-friendly measures, the audit will also consider corporate and personnel data such as fluctuation rate, time off and personnel costs. 

The Austrian Federal Ministry for Women, Families and Youth grants funding for consulting and auditing fees that result in the course of auditing in so far as the relevant conditions are met.

With exception of institutions governed by public law, every company that is audited according to these guidelines and receives a basic certificate is eligible for funding.

Claim to funding

Companies have the opportunity to apply for one-time financial support for the audit. Entitled are private companies with more than five employees => Unbureaucratic and uncomplicated award of the funding with direct payment to the applicant.

Amount of funding

• For a staff between 5 an 20: 5.000 Euro
• For a staff between 21 and 100: 4.000 Euro
• For a staff over 101: 3.000 Euro

Audit workandfamily COMPACT 4000 Euro First Re-Auditing,  5-100 staff members: 3.000 Euro