Through Family Forward NC, we will celebrate employers who already are family forward, and we’ll build a community of employers who are inspired to do more to support the health and well-being our state’s workforce.

Why? Because the benefits of family-friendly business practices are numerous — for employers, for employees and for our state.

  • Pregnancy accommodations allow expectant mothers to do their jobs without jeopardizing their maternal or baby health. The benefits are manyfold:

    For Business

    No or low cost to employers

    Increase productivity & loyalty

    Reduce absenteeism & health care costs

    For Family

    Decrease preterm births

    Increase healthy birthweights

    Improve mother’s health & family finances

  • Providing breastfeeding support and flexible work schedules reap significant returns on investment for business and families alike.

    For Business

    Breastfeeding support:
    Delivers a 3:1 ROI (lower health care costs, absenteeism & turnover; higher productivity)

    Flexible work schedules:
    Save $496-$1,984 per employee
    every year

    For Family

    Breastfeeding support:
    Promotes healthier children & fewer medical visits

    Decreases maternal depression

    Flexible work schedules:
    Reduce parental stress & can improve family health

  • Employee absenteeism racks up big costs. Backup childcare enables employees to continue working when normal childcare falls through.

    For Business

    Increases productivity, including unexpected demands

    83% of employees with backup care worked an average of one day per month they would have otherwise missed.

    For Family

    Reduces stress

    Saves time

    Improves work-life balance

  • Telecommuting is a win-win for businesses and families.

    For Business

    Can reduce absenteeism by almost 60%

    NC employees highly value it

    For Family

    Reduces stress & saves time

    Increases job satisfaction

  • Paid leave for mothers and fathers for the birth or adoption of a child is a game-changer for businesses and families.

    For Business

    Millennial workers are less likely to quit an employer who offers paid parental leave and increased flexibility. The median cost of replacing an employee is 21% of that employee’s annual salary.

    Women who have access to paid leave work 2 to 3 hours more per week after returning to work.

    For Family

    Lower infant mortality rates. NC has one of the highest rates in the nation.

    Increases father engagement.

    Lower rates of maternal depression

    Financial stability. Lack of paid family leave forces approximately 8.6% of US households into poverty.

  • Which strengthens our state

    Download our fact sheet that details all the research-based opportunities for businesses to offer family-friendly workplaces.

    Download the booklet