by Carla Herren

"Family friendly” and “work life balance” are goals that we commonly see on candidates’ wish lists, but that’s not always the case for companies. These terms are used so much, but what do they really mean?  Is it possible to change the way we think of the typical work day?  Is it possible to run a home, care for a family and still add tremendous value to a team?  I believe the news is good and the answer is yes! 

Before I became a recruiter I thought that for the right amount of money a career change was always the right move. Only after years of counseling with many miserable people with large incomes have I realized that salary is further down on the list of importance. Of course supporting a family today is tougher in this economy, making the balance harder to achieve. 

Trust and respect play a huge role in a successful family-friendly culture.  We aren't asking permission to do half the work for full pay. If all goes well, there won't be a missed assignment or important conference call, just less sleep. There will always be the few who try to take advantage and ruin it for those who are only trying to be all to all. Remember that every soccer game, front seat of the school play (even if they only have one line), doctor’s visit or just holding a child with a fever is shaping the future generations of leaders, doctors, lawyers and  Wal-Mart vendor teams.