More than 100 business leaders from across North Carolina gathered in High Point on March 25 for the Family Forward NC® Summit. The theme – Future-Proof Your Workforce – focused on advancing workplace policies that support employees and their families and deliver a positive return on investment for employers.
Employers said the Summit supported their efforts to adopt family-friendly workplace policies and that they went home with actions and strategies to implement or consider in their workplaces.
From Volvo to Highland Brewing Co. to Book Harvest and Elon University, attendees explored what’s working and identified the gaps between what’s offered and what employees say they need most. Panelists shared how they have created more family-friendly workplaces, offered tips, and reminded employers to get started and not be afraid to take incremental steps.
Some next steps Summit attendees shared:
- Look at expanding paid leave
- Help our employees better understand the benefits available to them
- Talk with our leadership about our policy and culture gap
- Consider how we can offer dependent care insurance coverage
- Calculate our ROI
- Advocate for Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance
- Get certified
The Summit also marked the release of the first benchmarking report, sharing new data and insights to compare policies across all Family Forward NC® Certified Employers, as well as recognize best practices and identify growth opportunities.
Watch the recap of the Summit.