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Family Forward NC: Building Healthy Futures for Business and Families

Family Forward NC is an innovative business-led initiative aimed at improving children's health and well-being in North Carolina. By promoting family-friendly practices, we support workplace productivity, economic growth, and children's healthy development. Our focus on equity aims to address disparities in educational outcomes for children from different socioeconomic backgrounds.

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Family Forward NC: Building Healthy Futures for Business and Families

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  1. Business Smart. Family Friendly. Future Ready.

  2. Innovative, business-led Family Forward NCis an innovative initiative to improve children’s health and well-being and keep North Carolina’s businesses competitive. It is business-led change to increase access to research-based, family-friendly practices—big and small—that increase workplace productivity, recruitment and retention; grow a strong economy; and support children’s healthy development.

  3. FFNC Supports NCECF Mission and Priority Initiatives • Pathways to Grade-Level Reading–Adopted shared whole child birth-to-age-eight measures that put children on a pathway to grade-level reading; coordinates strategies and aligns policies and practices rooted in how children develop • NC Campaign for Grade-Level Reading –Mobilizes communities to ensure that children from economically disadvantaged families can succeed in school and their careers • Think Babies –Advances policies that support the healthy development of NC babies and toddlers

  4. FFNC Supports NCECF Focus on Equity 67% 46% of jobs in NC will require some post-secondary educationby next year North Carolinians with thatlevel of education today 22% 52% of white children in NC are reading on grade-level by the end of third grade. of Black and Latinx children in NC are reading on grade-level by the end of third grade.

  5. Strategies for Success • Research – 2017-2018 • Listen, learn, engage – Ongoing • Case studies – Ongoing • Guide, website, communications – Ongoing • Employer recognition – Ongoing • Focus on tourism (western and eastern NC), furniture and textiles (Piedmont) – 2019

  6. www.familyforwardnc.com/guide

  7. Family friendly is more than paid leave Big and small changes offerresearch-based, positive business benefits and health outcomes for children and families. Employers of all sizes can find ways to incorporate family-friendly practices. We’ve identified16 benefitswith positive outcomes for employers, parents and children in five categories: • Paid Leave • Flexible Work and Scheduling • Health and Wellness Benefits • Childcare • Accommodations and Support

  8. NC Organizations Promoting Family-Friendly Workplaces in Their Goals • Prevent Child Abuse NC • MomsRising • Think Babies Coalition • NC Child • NC Justice Center • NC Coalition Against Domestic Violence

  9. Accomplishments – 2018 Research firm conducted 300 interviews with NC employers and 300 surveys of NC employees to understand the lay of the land on family friendly workplaces in NC. Conducted a research review to identify family-friendly workplace benefits with positive outcomes for employers, parents and children. Created a prestigious Advisory Council of 12 business leaders from companies such as Lowe’s and the Latino Credit Union as well as community and health organizations such as the NC Department of Health and Human Services and the Robeson County Partnership for Children.

  10. Family Forward NC Advisory Council

  11. Accomplishments – 2019 Published the Guide to Family Forward Workplaces,informed by the Advisory Council and input from more than 1,000 employers and employees throughout the state. More than 2,000 unique visitors have accessed the Guide online, and it has been downloaded more than 400 times. Hosted the Family Forward NC Summitfor more than 140 businesses and nonprofit leaders to explore ways to include family-friendly practices in their own workplaces. Of participants responding to the post Summit survey, 75% said they would take actionon family-friendly benefits in their workplace this year.  

  12. Accomplishments – 2019 • Published 20 case studies about NC employers, with plans for 10 more by end of year. • Social media outreach (Twitter and LinkedIn) has an on-average reach of 10,000 impressions per month. Our twice-monthly e-newsletter has 700 subscribers. • We’ve presented to over 3,500 NC employers in rural and urban counties across the state from local chambers to statewide trade associations to workforce development organizations. • Family Forward NC has been featured in a number of media outlets, including the Greenville Daily Reflector, Wilmington Star News, WUNC’s the State of Things, Triangle Business Journal, Charlotte Business Journal, News and Observer, Public News Service,  Mountain Xpress, Business North Carolina and the Salisbury Post.

  13. What’s Next? • Outreach to different types of business organizations such as Black Chambers of Commerce in several cities, the NC Hispanic Chamber. Currently partnering with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Leading on Opportunity and the Latino Chamber of Commerce. • Reach out to companies for sponsorships – companies must be family friendly and have significant presence in NC. • Launch a pilot project this winter with an HR partner to create and deliver workshops for a group of small employers that don’t have HR staff/support. We will focus on geography and industries who are motivated to provide family-friendly workplace benefits and need support to move forward. • Create a certified network model that incentivizes employers to take action. The model will include offering technical assistance to become a family-friendly employer and providing recognition through certification.

  14. Benefits of Combined TA and Certification • Employers expect both, and they view recognition as the next logical step. • Employers’ policies will be verified in writing and by employees. • Providing TA helps mitigate concerns about verifying companies are family friendly. • The landscape around family-friendly workplace initiatives is growing - organizations in nine states are also working in some capacity, some with their eye toward creating a national program. Timing is such that we could be a national model or lose the opportunity.

  15. Example of Successful Certification • Started in 2007 • 2,933 Companies • 150 Industries • 64 Countries • 40 in NC • Wait list of 2-3 months on average (high demand) • Possible collaboration with this certification.

  16. Estimate of Certified Network Income and Expenses Over Three Years * • Certification levels based on number of benefits employer offers • Certification fees based on number of employees • Initial certification fees and renewal fees are different • We estimate 300 businesses of various sizes will be certified over three years • $2.2 million in income estimated over three years • Expenses estimated between $400K and $500K per year * Excludes Sponsorships and Grants as these are more difficult to estimate

  17. Business Smart. Family Friendly. Future Ready.

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