Randstad RiseSmart leading the Family Friendly Workplaces initiative in Australia

SYDNEY, May 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Leading outplacement and career mobility provider, Randstad RiseSmart, today announced it is a founding partner in an Australian Family Friendly Workplaces initiative. Randstad RiseSmart is the only career mobility and outplacement firm to receive certification as a family friendly workplace in line with National Work + Family Standards released in partnership with UNICEF Australia and Parents At Work this week.

"We wanted to lead the way and be an early adopter of the Family Friendly Workplaces initiative (FFW) for many reasons. Firstly, to support our own team and create a culture where working families and carers are supported to combine their work and family life commitments," said Alison Hernandez, managing director, APAC at Randstad RiseSmart and FFW Ambassador. "We also partner with hundreds of companies to provide career mobility solutions for their employees as they move into, within and out of their organisations. We have long encouraged individuals in career transition to holistically consider all areas of their life – including family and caring commitments. These standards set the bar."

In 2019, Parents At Work released findings from the largest ever survey of its kind, reporting on the experience of working Australian parents and carers. According to the survey, 62 per cent of parents and carers reported difficulties looking after their own physical and mental health as they try to balance competing work and family pressures, with a startling one in four saying they have considered quitting as a result. The National Work + Family Standards inform employers of the minimum and best practice policies and practices they should invest in to foster a Family Friendly Workplace culture.

"We have a unique role as a founding partner, in that we have the opportunity to encourage many of our clients in corporate Australia to take the first step on a journey toward a family-friendly workplace culture," said Hernandez. "We see firsthand that job seekers want to work with progressive organisations who are more inclusive and supportive of employees' competing work and family life commitments. One of the profound insights COVID-19 has given us is the window into people's home lives, and the need to bridge the work and family divide, as employers and employees grapple with the future of work."

Recruiters and experts say the influx of talented Australians returning home due to COVID-19 has not offset the number of skilled employees who have either returned to their own countries or been prevented from arriving. A war on talent is underway and organisations need to stand out. Organisations that support work and family life can enhance competitiveness to attract labour and talent.

RiseSmart is part of Randstad, the world's largest human resources services firm. On a global scale, UNICEF has put out a call to action for workplaces to be redesigned to be more family friendly. UNICEF Australia, together with Parents At Work and the Sponsoring Partners, are responding to this call by introducing the Family Friendly Workplaces accreditation.

"We hope that RiseSmart will lead the charge globally, but we are starting in our own backyard in Australia," said Hernandez. "I am confident that the National Work + Family Standards will go global as organisations realise the benefit for their people, profitability and profile as an employer of choice."

About Randstad RiseSmartRandstad RiseSmart is the fastest-growing outplacement and career mobility provider, and an operating company of Randstad N.V., a €20.7 billion global provider of flexible work and human resources services that helps nearly two million candidates find meaningful work every year. Our outplacement, career development, redeployment and contemporary tech and touch solutions strengthen employer brands, improve retention and re-engage talent. Employers hire us because we deliver superior outcomes through expert coaching, professional branding, contemporary resources and on-demand analytics. Today, we are a trusted human partner of successful companies across more than 40 industries and deliver services in over 100 countries and 40 languages. Our passion and dedication to innovation, responsiveness, and results have earned us extensive recognition and awards from organizations such as Bersin by Deloitte, Gartner Inc., the Brandon Hall Group, and Fortune magazine. For more information, visit www.randstadrisesmart.com.

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