Family friendly work arrangements are practices or resources that help employees better balance their work and family obligations by making the workplace more flexible. Family obligations include caring for dependent children, ageing parents or partners or other family members who need ongoing or temporary assistance.

Family friendly work arrangements may include things such as:

• establishing rosters based on school terms and alternative core hours,
  for example, 10am to 3pm
• establishing quality part-time work or job-sharing opportunities
• developing and implementing work and family related policy
• providing facilities such as family rooms for employees with young children, and
• work from home/remote access.
   

Many small businesses across a range of industries are already benefiting from the introduction of simple and inexpensive family friendly work arrangements. One of these ideas may be tailor-made for your business.

More information is available in the Fresh Ideas Case Studies. 

The Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) provides a range of tools including fact sheets, best practice guides and templates, to help employers and employees in the workplace. FWO offers workplace education, assistance and advice which can be found on their website at www.fairwork.gov.au.