Part2

Read the text and answer the questions below.

American Businesses Aim to Support Employees and Their Families

A

Companies of all sizes in the US recognize the importance of family‑friendly policies, thanks in large part to the increasing number of people‑centered entrepreneurs and company CEOs. Many of these go into business themselves as a result of negative experiences they have had in the workplace. So says Jennifer West, Managing Director of the Ohio‑based Business Research Center, a non‑profit organization dedicated to studying work‑life balance. “Taking a people‑centered view is a good recruitment and retention strategy,” says West. “Employers who care about their employees and help them grow take into account the full range of issues and the external pressures that employees have and arrange things so that people can manage their lives. These considerations are a conscious part of how people‑centered bosses organize their practices and strategies.”

B

One employer who exemplifies this philosophy is Stephen Harper, co‑owner and CEO of Plastic Solutions in California. His company manufactures custom plastics, mainly for medical devices, and offers engineering solutions for other plastics needs. Harper believes in having employees who understand the business. That’s why every two weeks, when his employees receive their salary, they also get an update about the company, including who their new customers are, what successes they’ve had, and what challenges they are facing. Harper also includes a ‘coaching’ section. This addresses issues like gossip, which employees sometimes indulge in around the water cooler or the rest rooms, and which can negatively impact on the morale of staff. He encourages people to work their way up in the company, and pays, at least partially, for educational opportunities and textbooks. His employees line up to attend his monthly invitation‑only Business Pragmatics seminar, in which communication and other vital skills are taught, along with ethics and workplace morals and philosophy. The structure of his company is very family‑friendly, and includes a regular Open House day for employees’ families where, among other things, kids can experiment with the company’s machines that manufacture their products and so on. The Harper philosophy pays off. Attrition at the company is low, and many employees remain with the company for much of their career.

C

In Vermont, the Margaret Mills Corporation also strives to be people‑centered. It is a third‑generation, family‑run business that sells children’s wooden toys internationally, and the company’s founder (Margaret Mills) understood all too well the challenges of raising a family while running a business. Like many other like‑minded companies, the Margaret Mills Corporation offers liberal leave, flexi‑time, good health and retirement packages, and other benefits. The corporation also allows workers to have their children dropped off when school is over, or to spend time with them during the vacations. Annual Christmas and summer parties are standard, and this year to celebrate an especially strong performance, the company took all employees and their families on a 2‑day trip to Montreal, Canada. Says Victor Davies, Human Resources Director, ‘We enable employees to maintain equilibrium between work and home, a policy which ultimately results in a more productive and stable workforce.’ It works – this year the company will celebrate six 5‑year anniversaries, and one 25‑year anniversary among its employees.

D

For Hazel Gibbs, CEO of Disposal Systems Inc. in Houston, Texas, a waste disposal and environmental cleanup and consultancy firm, the bottom line is keeping her business going. But she realizes that it takes a certain kind of mutuality to do that. ‘I’m not altruistic,’ she says, ‘but if everyone understands what it takes to be in business, that’s good for all of us.’ That’s why she works hard to ensure that everyone, from managers to workers, realizes that they count. ‘It’s not about “us” and “them”, we are a team.’ Gibbs says. ‘When our employees understand what it takes to keep a business going, then it works and we can accommodate each other’s needs.’ Despite her success, Gibbs sometimes struggles with being taken seriously. She sees this as a long‑term challenge. ‘Working mothers still need to be taken more seriously, and so do mothers who are business owners.’ She has two children of her own to think about.

E

Family‑friendly entrepreneurs are becoming more commonplace internationally, and they clearly influence those companies which have so far been slow to accommodate employee needs. According to West, it is already possible to document the dwindling workforces of these latter businesses, or the migration of labor to more family‑friendly ones. What is more, parents are important consumers and investors who can change buying practices. Further, in the public policy arena, multinational corporations and aid agencies are beginning to recognize the need to integrate social and economic policy and practice. Family‑friendly employers are creating a groundswell of awareness that can only result in changing business practices. And as Hazel Gibbs says, when that happens, ‘you’ve got it working’.

Questions 14‑18

The text has five paragraphs, A‑E.

Which paragraph contains the following information?

14 a description of a company that provides financial assistance for employees to continue their learning.

15 a mention of worldwide trends in the changing attitudes of businesses and customers.

16 details about years of continuous service by employees at one company.

17 a reference to the reason why many people‑centred workers first start their own businesses.

18 a comment about how certain groups are still fighting for respect in the business world.

Questions 19–21

Choose the correct business person, A‑E, for each statement.

A Jennifer West

B Stephen Harper

C Margaret Mills

D Victor Davies

E Hazel Gibbs

19 Employees should be kept informed about business development and performance.

20 Work output increases when employees have a good balance between company and family responsibilities.

21 It is critical to business success that all company members recognise that they matter.

Questions 22–26

Complete the summary.

Write ONE WORD ONLY from the text for each answer.

Family‑friendly practices at Plastic Solutions and the Margaret Mills Corporation

At Plastic Solutions, a bi‑weekly update is issued to workers at the same time as their pay. This includes a section dealing with problems such as 22____ in communal areas of the workplace.

The CEO also arranges a regular 23____ for selected employees for whom places are in great demand.

Finally, employees’ families are invited to company open days, when they are allowed to try out the 24____.

The Margaret Mills Corporation allows employees a great deal of flexibility with their children, who can be brought to the office once 25____ has finished.

Mills likes to reward employees for company performance with a party or even a 26____ for families. There is considerable evidence that these practices are having the desired effect.