WASHINGTON (June 25, 2007) – Corporate Voices for Working Families’ coalition member KPMG LLP testified on Thursday, June 21, before the House Committee on Education and Labor, Subcommittee on Workforce Protections, as it considers H.R. 2392 “The Balancing Act.” Barbara C Wankoff, Director of Workplace Solutions for KPMG LLP highlighted the work/life policies her firm uses to help employees juggle their professional and personal responsibilities.
The hearing on "Balancing Work and Family: What Policies Best Support American Families?" was chaired by Representative Lynn Woolsey (D-CA). In her opening remarks, Rep Woolsey explained the benefits to business of progressive work/life programs stating, “Corporate Voices for Working Families did a study on work flexibility and found that workers with flexible work schedules were 50 percent more committed to their work and 30 percent less likely to leave their current employment within a 2 year period.”
Wankoff said KPMG is promoting a culture of flexibility to help employees manage the complexities of work and life. “KPMG…believes that helping employees manage their responsibilities both inside and outside of work is beneficial to everyone, and to our bottom line,” she said. “Our policies and programs support this belief.”
In a statement taken from a Corporate Voices report, Woolsey noted the benefits flexibility can produce for employees and employers. ”Our country, while great in many ways, is stuck in a time warp when it comes to providing workers with help in balancing work and family…It is a shame too, because studies have told us that “family-friendly” policies work,” said Rep. Woolsey. “They increase recruitment and retention rates, decrease absenteeism and improve productivity.”
The Balancing Act contains “family-friendly” policies such as paid family medical leave, benefits for part-time workers, improved childcare for families, universal voluntary pre-school, before and after school programs, school-meals, and a pilot program to explore telecommuting.
“KPMG is a leader in implementing innovative programs that allow their employees the flexibility to address the changing needs of family and work,” said Donna Klein, President and CEO of Corporate Voices for Working Families. “KPMG has been a leader in family-friendly business policies for many years and I am encouraged to see Representative Woolsey taking the lead in looking toward the private sector for business best practices that may also make good public policy.”
Also testifying at the hearing were Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), Representative Judy Biggert (R-IL), WalMart employee Missy Quarberg, Melissa Lindsay on Marlin Steel Wire Products, Baltimore, MD, and Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner, Co-Founder of Moms Rising.
Corporate Voices for Working Families is the leading national business membership organization representing the private sector voice in the dialogue on public policy to improve the lives of America’s working families. As a nonpartisan 501(c) 3, Corporate Voices facilitates research to advance policy changes in government and business on Worker Flexibility, Family Economic Stability, Early Childhood Education and After School Care, Youth Transitions, and the future of the Mature Workforce. Collectively our 55 partner companies employ more than 4 million individuals throughout all fifty states, with annual net revenues of $1 trillion.
KPMG LLP, the audit, tax and advisory firm (www.us.kpmg.com) is the U.S. member of KPMG International. KPMG International’s member firms have 113,000 professionals, including 6,800 partners in 148 countries.
