Law firm Simmons & Simmons and housing association Wales & West Housing were among the businesses to scoop flexible working awards at the Top Employers for Working Families Awards this week.

The awards, run by charity Working Families during National Work-Life Week, recognise employers for best practice in areas such as flexible working innovation, engagement, childcare, eldercare, career progression and parenthood.

They are open to companies taking part in the Working Families Top Employers benchmark – which measures the spread of family friendly working in organisations. Since it started in 2009 more than 80 organisations have been benchmarked.

This year the top ten were: American Express, Barclays, Deloitte, EY, KPMG, Royal Bank of Scotland, Southdown Housing Association, the London School of Economics and Political Science, UBS and Wales & West Housing.

For the first time a dedicated SME benchmark was also published, giving small and medium-sized enterprises the opportunity to measure and evaluate their current policies. The top scoring SME benchmark entrant was internal communications agency AB.

Also in the SME top 10 were: Brand Learning Group, CiC, iCrossing, Mimbre, My Family Care, Obergine, Peridot Partners, Solve HR and Sound Environment.

Sarah Jackson, chief executive of Working Families, said: “The entrants, whether from very small enterprises or large private or public sector organisations, have all demonstrated an understanding of the links between flexibility, engagement, well-being and performance. These employers are able to show the positive effect of flexible working and family friendly policies on the bottom line.”

Special Awards:

• Best for carers and eldercare: British Gas (Commended: London School of Economics and Political Science and The Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust)
• Best for all stages of fatherhood: Citi (Commended: Ford)
• Best for innovation: Plantronics
• Best for engagement: Plantronics (Commended: American Express)
• Best for all stages of motherhood: Barclays and the London School of Economics and Political Science
• Best for flexible working: Simmons & Simmons (Commended: Plantronics)
• Best for childcare: Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and The Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust
• Best for career progression: Wales & West Housing

Image credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/misstinykitten/

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