Creating a Family-Friendly Workplace at Your Credit Union
The financial services business has changed. Employees no longer choose to join a financial institution based solely on position and salary. We have learned that employees are looking for something different. They are more interested in how their job is going to fit into their personal lives along with their careers.
Credit union branch and department managers should be aware of what this actually means to employees or they may spend time and money training people who decide to leave. We have identified ways to hire the right people who want to stay at the job and work hard. Retention increases when team members feel personally supported by the organization and their work and family lives have been addressed properly.
Thus, a family-friendly workplace is smart business for any credit union or financial institution. If you consider your employees to be your strongest assets, it is not only wise to invest in their professional growth, but also their personal development by recognizing their real-life situations. Outside of work, they have families and responsibilities. We have the ability to provide resources to help them become better employees through understanding their needs and working together to create a supportive environment.
This can take time, intention and resources. If your credit union does not have the internal resources, industry associations, chambers of commerce, organizations like Family Friendly Workplaces have the tools to help create a supportive work environment. For example, in New Mexico, we work with Family Friendly New Mexico (FFNM). It is a nonprofit that recognizes and supports employers that adopt and implement family-friendly policies so that businesses, employees and their families can thrive. It even has a business council that informs FFNM to tap into different size businesses to learn best practices and receive practical assistance from seasoned professionals.