Michael Wood, Director, Education & Workforce
The Dallas Regional Chamber (DRC) is pleased to launch the 2022 Best Place for Working Parents™ Dallas, presented by PNC Bank.
The initiative, which was unveiled last year alongside partner efforts in Austin, Fort Worth, and San Antonio, recognizes family-friendly companies in the Dallas Region and elevates the importance of family-friendly policies in the workplace.
A proprietary online self-assessment enables employers to quickly determine whether their workplace qualifies for the “Best Place for Working Parents™” business designation, in part by comparing their family-friendly benefits to other companies of similar size and industry. The assessment focuses on 10 policies known to positively impact employee retention, satisfaction, and productivity, such as paid time off, parental leave, flexible working environments, and childcare assistance, among others.
During the program’s first year, 88 Dallas Region companies received the designation. Among those companies were Fidelity Investments, Grant Thornton, and Match Group. Fidelity provides an industry-leading 16-weeks of parental leave for new mothers and six weeks for spouses and domestic partners. Grant Thornton established a working parents business resource group to create an internal support system for employees with children. Match Group also allows staffers to set their own work schedules to better accommodate their personal lives.
The Best Place for Working Parents™ initiative propelled Dallas into the national spotlight. United States Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh visited with the DRC and leaders from designated companies about the importance of family-friendly workplaces. The DRC also participated in a roundtable discussion regarding investments in working families with Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff and Dallas Congressman Colin Allred.
In addition, the DRC hosted Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson in October for an employer event about the economic impact of childcare in Texas. The convening, in part, explored opportunities for the business community to mitigate the adverse economic consequences of childcare breakdowns, including through family-friendly supports in the workplace such as financial assistance for dependent care and on-site childcare facilities.
The DRC encourages company executives, human resources leaders, or talent management staff to complete the Best Place for Working Parents™ Dallas self-assessment on their employer’s behalf. The assessment should take less than five minutes to complete. Companies that received the designation in 2021 will receive an email to confirm their benefits for the 2022 designation.
Businesses that achieve the designation will receive a digital badge to share via web, social media, and print. Further, Dallas Region recipients will be recognized at the DRC’s upcoming State of Early Education.
For more information about the Best Place for Working Parents™ Dallas, visit the DRC website or contact DRC Director of Education & Workforce Michael Wood at mwood@dallaschamber.org.