Employers - How Do Your Policies Affect The Community?

Employers - How Do Your Policies Affect The Community?

By Judy Olian**

Employment and management policies are geared usually towards behaviors in the workplace. But the impact of these policies and practices permeate much further, into the lives of all of us in the community. These policies can also shape the company's reputation. Consider the following cases.

Traffic congestion, energy consumption and pollution levels fluctuate with employers' support of, and incentives for, flextime, telecommuting, or car pooling. The city of Boca Raton, Florida aims to entice employers into these practices with a goal of reducing traffic by 25%. About 28% of US households enjoy some form of telecommuting. Do you offer flextime or the option to telecommute a few hours a day, or a day a week? Do you provide car pooling incentives?

A survey by William M. Mercer and the Department of Health and Human Services finds that 90% of employers support at least one "health promoting" activity. How do you support the physical and mental well being of your employees? Do you set reasonable limits on the work hours of employees to guard against excessive fatigue and ensuing accidents on and off the job? Do you sponsor preventative healthcare, fitness competitions, sports teams, an in-house gym or sports club membership, healthy food in your cafeteria? Of course, company absenteeism and health care premium levels result directly from the physical and mental health of your workforce, but not just that. Unhealthy employees also burden the medical infrastructure in communities, at tax payer expense.

How do you support families in the community? Some companies serve as referral resources for family care needs, or offer childcare and eldercare services on their own, or in partnership with other companies.

Do you provide incentives and support for employee involvement in community based charities? Company leadership to support charitable causes, matching contributions to charities, or employee team involvement in community initiatives directly address needs that could not be met without companies' generous provision of time, and funds.

What's the company's policy regarding drinking at company sponsored social events? There are legal reasons to curb alcohol consumption in company related events, given employer liability. But beyond that, there are community-based reasons to discourage irresponsible consumption. Communities are also becoming more concerned about distracted drivers on cell phones, and legislation is pending in 42 states to ban hand held cell phones while driving. Some of this legislation will hold employers liable if their employees are involved in accidents while driving and talking on hand-held mobile phones. Are you offering your employees hands-free devices and coaching them to practice safe driving ?

The benefits of community conscious and responsible employment policies extend well beyond the company's parking lot. They're good business, too.