What makes a great workplace?  The Santa Monica Commission on the Status of Women (COSW) believes that one of the qualities of a great employer is the recognition that each employee has a basic need to balance her job with her personal life.  Women in the workplace, particularly those who are also mothers or who care for elderly or disabled relatives at home, often struggle to maintain equilibrium between their home life, work life, and personal time. 

In recognition of this, COSW commissioned a survey in late 2004, contacting nearly 200 employers in Santa Monica, to find out what kind of “work/life” benefits employers offer that enhance the quality of life for their employees.  A representative sample of companies, collectively employing almost 11,000 persons, completed the survey.  Participants included a variety of very large employers, including Blue Shield of California, RAND Corporation and UCLA-Santa Monica Medical Center; mid-sized employers like Gerber Ambulance Service and Pacific Park; as well as small businesses employing under 70 persons, such as Flap Happy, Heal the Bay and YMCA of Santa Monica. 

COSW Commissioner Alesia Cook, who spearheaded the project, said, “We hope that this survey will spark a dialogue within the Santa Monica business community about the importance of work/life balance, and inspire some employers to look at creative work/life solutions.” 

The survey findings show that, based on those who responded, Santa Monica employers are on the cutting edge in offering work/life benefits for their employees.  For example, all of the companies surveyed offer at least three—and most offer four or more—services related to employees’ children such as on-site childcare center, childcare subsidies, lactation rooms, sick days to care for children, paid leave for adoptive parents, paid maternity leave (beyond disability insurance) and paternity leave. 

All but one of the employers surveyed provided seven or more quality of life benefits including flextime, job-sharing, working from home, casual dress policies, tuition reimbursement, business equipment to work from home, unpaid sabbaticals, support of community volunteerism, assistance with stress management, legal counseling, referral services for elder/child care, paid vacation, sick days and personal days.  

The COSW Work/Life Survey also found that all or a majority of the employers participating in the survey also provide some level of health care benefits, career advancement programs and training, and retirement plans.

"RAND competes against some of the most progressive universities and private sector firms in the country for talent, so having employee-friendly policies and programs in place is critical for us," said Executive Vice President Michael Rich, a participant in the survey. "We participate in third party-sponsored surveys and meet annually with our peers in reference group organizations to ensure that RAND stays abreast of what they are doing and we remain competitive. Work/life benefits help us attract and retain talented people, increase productivity, and generally create a supportive work environment." 

While many of the larger employers surveyed tended to be able to devote more resources to work/life benefits, the survey found that some of the smaller employers made a special attempt to adopt many of the same policies as the larger companies and/or are currently exploring creative solutions to address work/life issues. For example, YWCA of Santa Monica has adopted many of the same policies that contribute to worker quality of life as larger employers.

“We are very pleased at the results of the Work/Life Survey and commend employers for sharing their experiences, practices, and policies,” said COSW Chair Tia Skulski, “Many women (and men) today are very savvy about work/life benefits when seeking employment.   We shouldn't have to jeopardize our careers to raise a family and vice versa.  Therefore, COSW would like to encourage all employers to develop, refine, or expand their work/life arrangements to reflect the changes in our culture's family responsibilities and demographics.” 

Should you wish to participate or further assist in any future COSW work/life studies, please contact the commission's staff liaison, Janet Hand, via phone at 310-458-8701 or TTY/TDD (for the deaf or hard of hearing) at (310) 458-8696, or via email at cosw@smgov.net

The list of employers participating in the COSW Work/Life Survey, as well as the complete survey findings, can be found at www.smgov.net/ccs/cosw. 

The Santa Monica Commission on the Status of Women works to enhance the status of women in the community. The Commission promotes these goals through investigation of, advocacy for and policy development regarding issues relevant to women and girls, and by creating leadership and career advancement opportunities for women and girls in the community.

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