As leaders, we can have tunnel vision when it comes to our employees – primarily focusing on their time at work. We want it to be effective for our ministries and life-giving for them. But employees are whole people, with lives outside of work, and family-friendly policies will go a long way in showing them you care.
I recently sat down with an employee to hear her feedback on the ministry. We had a great conversation and she shared many ways she’d been blessed by serving with us. At the very end she said, “I don’t know if it’s appropriate to bring this up, but I wondered if you would ever consider prorated holidays for part-timers.” She’d received this benefit from a former employer and explained the hardship a holiday presents for a part-timer. “When a holiday falls on my normal work day, I don’t work that day, but then I try to make up the time during the pay period so I don’t get behind in my work and so my paycheck is consistent.”
Our leadership team discussed her request and saw the wisdom in making the change. Not only would it alleviate pressure in her personal schedule around holidays – it would bless her family because she’d be available to them instead of squeezing in additional hours.
1. Prorated Paid Holidays for Part-Timers. If a part-time employee would normally work six hours on a particular holiday, allow him to take the day off and pay him for those six hours. Trust that productivity will be ensured through the normal ebbs and flows of the workload.
2. Sick Days for Family Care. Allow employees to use two or three of their personal sick days to care for family members who are ill or in need of some type of health intervention. These days can be extended on a case-by-case basis.
3. Sabbath-Break between Christmas and New Year’s. If it’s feasible for your organization, close from Christmas Eve through the federally observed New Year’s Day holiday. Give your employees this entire time off with their normal pay – whether full- or part-time.
1. God treats us as children, not commodities. He sees us as people – sons and daughters – not slaves. He cares deeply for our well-being and wants our lives to have a good balance of fulfilling work and replenishing rest. Let’s follow suit in our employee policies.
2. An employee’s life is 24/7 kingdom. The work employees do for our organizations isn’t in a category all its own – as far as its impact for God’s kingdom. Their time spent with family, friends, church commitments, and leisure is all part of how they’re living for God. Let’s honor this reality.
3. God ordained families. By God’s design, families are the primary crucible of intimacy and security for individuals. Work is also designed by God, advancing His kingdom and enabling people to provide for their families. But let’s develop policies that acknowledge the God-given role family plays within employees’ lives.
As our ministry has grown in God’s wisdom and ways, we’ve grown in His life-giving rhythms of Sabbath rest. When our employees received the unexpected news of these family-friendly policies, there were whoops of joy and tears of gratitude. One employee said, “This is just one more beautiful expression of the way this ministry values life. Thank you!”
When you develop family-friendly employee benefits, you create a win-win-win for your employees, their families, and your organization.
“Develop family-friendly employee benefits and create a win-win-win for your employees, their families, and your organization.”
- Lisa Hosler
What impact have you witnessed or experienced from family-friendly employee policies? Feel free to share your thoughts in the Comment Section below.
