Family-Friendly Policies Gain Importance Across U.S. Workplaces

USIQ.org Introduces Family-Friendly Employer Certification to Support Transparency for Workers and Organizations

SHERIDAN, WY, UNITED STATES, November 21, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- A growing number of studies show that family-friendly workplace policies are becoming increasingly important for employers and employees in the United States. American workers are prioritizing family-focused benefits more than ever, making them top factors when choosing or remaining with a company, according to U.S. Chamber of Commerce surveys. This trend is driving a necessary change for organizations seeking to foster loyalty and increase retention.

Paid parental leave is one of the most requested benefits. A Pew Research Center survey found that only 23% of U.S. workers have paid family leave through their employer. (Source: https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2017/03/23/access-to-paid-family-leave-varies-widely-across-employers-industries/)
Flexible work arrangements, such as hybrid or remote options, are also a significant need, allowing employees to work around family obligations like childcare. Another rising demand is for affordable and accessible childcare support, as the cost of childcare has skyrocketed, pushing many parents—particularly mothers—out of the workforce. More than 50% of parents said they have left or considered leaving their jobs because of childcare challenges, according to a study by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation. (Source: https://www.uschamber.com/workforce/understanding-americas-labor-shortage-the-scarce-and-costly-childcare-issue#:~:text=According%20to%20a%202020%20U.S.,barrier%20to%20returning%20to%20work.)

A study by Utah State University reports that organizations offering flexible or family-oriented policies experience measurable benefits. According to the findings, 94% of participating employers observed higher employee satisfaction, 79.8% saw improved retention, and 65.2% reported increased productivity.
Source: https://www.usu.edu/today/story/research-shows-family-friendly-policies-increase-workplace-satisfaction

In a separate analysis published by REBA, 59% of employers stated that family-friendly benefits were essential to their workforce strategy over the past three years, and 77% expect their relevance to continue rising in the coming years.
Source: https://reba.global/resource/why-family-friendly-benefits-are-of-increasing-importance-to-your-workforce.html

A report from Best Place for Working Parents highlights generational expectations: 83% of millennial employees indicated they would consider changing jobs if offered stronger family-supportive policies.
Source: https://bestplace4workingparents.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/bp4wp-family-friendly-report-7-25-sm.pdf

Additional international research — including UNICEF’s global family-friendly policy framework and Business Group on Health’s work-life benefit trends — documents a broader movement toward workplaces that better support employees with caregiving responsibilities.
Sources: UNICEF: https://www.unicef.org/childrightsandbusiness/media/1436/file/FFP-Full-Toolkit.pdf
Business Group on Health: https://www.businessgrouphealth.org/resources/global-trends-in-family-friendly-and-work-life-benefits

The USIQ Launches Family-Friendly Employer Certification

USIQ.org has introduced the Family-Friendly Employer Certification, a structured assessment designed to help organizations demonstrate their commitment to supporting employees and their families. Family-friendly workplaces start with listening. Employers who take the time to understand the unique challenges their employees face... build stronger, more loyal teams. For a business to remain competitive, it must treat family friendliness as a necessity, not an optional initiative.

The certification is based on a representative employee survey, ensuring that the evaluation reflects the lived experiences and perceptions of the workforce. The methodology behind the assessment has been developed according to established scientific standards, applying principles of survey research, statistical reliability and validity to ensure meaningful, comparable and transparent results.

In addition to the certification, USIQ.org provides a practical guide titled Become More Family-Friendly, which outlines steps organizations can take to strengthen flexibility, caregiving support and work-life balance initiatives.

Guide: https://www.usiq.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Become-More-Family-friendly.pdf
More information about the certification is available at: https://www.usiq.org/family-friendly-employer/

About USIQ.org
USIQ.org is an organization focused on workplace quality assessments and employer-branding standards in the United States. Its programs include certifications related to workplace culture, service quality and organizational development.

Bernhard Scharfenberg
Quality Standardization and Certification LLC
+1 484-473-1088
email us here

Family Friendly Employer

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