SLO County Family-Friendly Workplaces is excited to announce the most recent round of SLO County Family-Friendly Workplaces Awardees. These awards are for public, private and nonprofit employers of any size on the Central Coast and seek to recognize and support organizations that adopt and implement family-friendly workplace practices for their employees.
Since the first time awards were given in June 2022, more than a hundred organizations have taken the family-friendly workplaces assessment and more than 60 awards recognizing family-friendly workplaces throughout SLO County have been given.
Additionally, there is a new higher award level for 2023, the Blue Diamond. To reach this award level, not only must an organization surpass a high level of family-friendly practices, they must also offer at least one of almost a dozen high-impact benefits, including onsite childcare to subsidies, expanded paid leave and reduced work weeks.
“We are thrilled to roll out the Blue Diamond award level” said Christina Lefevre Latner, with SLO County Family-Friendly Workplaces Program. “So many businesses are doing great work, and we’re excited to see businesses that received awards in 2022 reapplying to be recognized again.”
The first 2023 SLO County Family-Friendly Workplaces Awardees, by award level, are:
- Silver Level, “Rising Stars
- Platinum Level, “Trail Blazers”
- Diamond Level, “Distinguished Champions”
- Blue Diamond Level, “Change Makers”
Employers throughout the county are encouraged to take the Family-Friendly Workplaces assessment, which serves as a tool to measure their family-friendly policies, confirms what they already have in place is a best practice, and connect them directly with personalized assistance to learn more about next steps to make their business more family-friendly. This is the beginning of a process that will work with the organization’s unique needs and ultimately make them more attractive for existing and potential workers, all at no cost to employers. At the end of the assessment, businesses can opt in to receive award recognition. Applications for the next round of awardees are due June 30, 2023, and previous award recipients are encouraged to reapply for a 2023 award.
Employers who complete the assessment and meet the recognition criteria will receive a certificate of recognition, a SLO County Family-Friendly Workplaces electronic seal for use on the organization’s website, promotion and recruiting materials, media recognition, inclusion of the employer on the SLO Family-Friendly Workplace website and invitations to networking opportunities and special events. Additionally, a Family-Friendly Workplaces toolkit is available as a resource for all businesses.