Search: Employer & Community Service Index > Employer Information Families Have Changed: Your Work Force Has Changed The changing nature of the American family and the increasing number of parents in the work force are creating opportunities for employers to explore alternative policies, programs and services that help employees successfully manage the demands of work and family responsibilities. Children's Home + Aid Child Care Resource & Referral (CCR&R) Program offers consultation services to assist employers in exploring a variety of alternatives. Children's Home + Aid is a statewide, child welfare agency. Children's Home + Aid is a voluntary, non profit, non-sectarian organization with programs and services designed to meet the diverse needs of employers, children, families, and their communities. The Children's Home + Aid CCR&R Program is dedicated to providing information, education, data collection and analysis. We provide assistance to employers and employees who are struggling to balance their work and families responsibilities. Services are available to all employers in the Illinois counties of Bond, Clinton, Madison, Monroe, Randolph, St. Clair, and Washington, and in the St. Louis Metropolitan area. Children's Home + Aid CCR&R Program is a member of: numerous Chambers of Commerce & Growth Associations National Association of Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies Illinois Network of Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies St. Louis Regional Commerce & Growth Association Society for Human Resource Management Child Welfare League of America Family Services of America Voices for Illinois Children Local United Way Agencies These memberships provide us with a unique overview of the work/family issues confronting local, state and national employers. Helping Your Employees Helps Your Business Employers who offer alternative policies, programs and services have eased the work and family responsibilities for their employees. Nationwide, employers are studying the costs and benefits of offering work/family policies, programs and services. The following benefits were reported by employers in various studies. Reduced absenteeism and tardiness. Increased productivity and job perfomance. Lower employee turnover rate. Recruitment and retention advantages. Enhanced corporate and community image. Improved employee morale and loyalty. The policies, programs and services an employer offers frequently depends upon the company's size, industry, location, and economic viability among other factors. Employers may choose to offer one or more of the following options. Offering Information Contracting with a CCR&R Program. Customized work and family life seminars. Flexible Personnel Policies Flex time. Telecommuting/flexible work place. Job sharing. Compressed work week. Sick leave and personal time-off. Easing Financial Burdens Reimbursement/voucher programs. Vendor plan. Dependent care assistance plans. Charitable/in-kind donations. Providing Direct Services Work site or near site child care services. Family child care networks. Consortium child care center. School-age/vacation care. Special provision options (sick, weekend, evening and/or emergency child care). Children's Home + Aid CCR&R Program Working With You Your company is unique and diverse. There is no single solution which meets the needs of all employers and employees. Before you decide to create a new or enhanced work and family program, Children's Home + Aid CCR&R Program staff would like to consult with you. Let us help you investigate and develop cost-effective programs to meet your company's mission and vision. "In this new economy, we have to think of family responsive policies in a new way. Not as fringe benefits. Not as perks. But for what they really are, good ideas that are good for workers and good for business." Alexis M. Herman, Former Secretary of Labor Back to top