WorkWell Douglas County hosted the 2022 Pathways Business & Wellness Symposium in early November at the Lied Center in Lawrence. Through the Pathways funding supported by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas, presentations by BCBSKS staff discussed the overall health of those who live and work in Douglas County and how that information factors into why businesses should provide wellness opportunities in the workplace. In addition, there was a brief overview of the Kids are Good for Business program, followed by a panel discussion on the Family Friendly Workplace initiative. Representatives from the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce, Community Children’s Center, Kansas Children’s Service League, and Douglas County each shared thoughts on the benefits for businesses to embrace a Family Friendly Workplace.
The Family Friendly Workplace framework contains eight priority areas a business can focus its practices and policies to attract and retain employees: childcare access, paid parental leave, continued breastfeeding, flexible work schedule, comprehensive employee wellness, supportive services & resource, predictable work schedule, and livable wages & career development. It also features technical assistance from Kansas Children’s Service League trainers for implementation steps to achieve workplace goals.
A tenet for the WorkWell Douglas County work group under the LiveWell Douglas County umbrella is the ability to share information that can be helpful for businesses and organizations while providing networking opportunities for those who participate in wellness programs within their respective workplaces. One networking opportunity the work group has hosted regularly is an annual symposium that highlights different workplace wellness initiatives.
To learn more about the Family Friendly Workplace initiative, please contact Rachelle Soden, Training Manager, rsoden@kcsl.org or Dana Book, Training Specialist, dbook@kcsl.org at the Kansas Children’s Service League.
