Policy as Prevention: Family-Friendly and Retention-Focused Workplace Policies

Paid Leave Policies

In a field that can be as emotionally-demanding as it can be fulfilling, it is especially important for workplaces to make every effort to support staff in finding healthy work-life balance. Policies that allow paid time off for family and cultural needs reduce staff burnout, increase retention, and give staff the space to practice self-care. Moreover, family-friendly policies prevent violence by addressing key risk factors related to social support and economic security. To support service providers and other nonprofit organizations in adopting such policies, WCASA has developed a set of Family-Friendly Workplace Policy Templates:

No Cost Policies to Increase Staff Wellness and Retention

Being a family-friendly workplace is about more than paid leave. Not every agency has the funding to expand access to paid leave for their staff at this time, but that does not mean that they cannot make changes to support staff wellness. Regardless of your financial capacity, there are policy approaches that can help you create a flexible, family-friendly, and retention-focused workplace that do not add additional costs to your agency. To support service providers and other non-profit organizations in adopting such policies, WCASA has developed a set of Retention-Focused Workplace Policy Templates:

In addition to the templates, please view WCASA's recorded training, 'Workplaces that Work for Families', where WCASA staff discuss the value and impact of family-friendly workplace policies, including how to implement cost-free measures.

This project was funded by the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) to support the goals of their Sexual Violence Prevention Program, with funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Rape Prevention and Education (RPE) Program.

For information on training, technical assistance or resources related to family-friendly and retention-focused workplace polices, contact Justine Rufus, Rural Coordinator, or Nestic Morris, Outreach Coordinator.