Family-friendly policies in the workplace have numerous positive effects, demonstrably increasing the number of applications for job openings, increasing motivation, job satisfaction, and contributing to the institution’s positive image. In addition, a family-friendly work and study environment are important to both men and women. How can these policies be implemented? Which factors ensure success?                                                                             

The event addressed these and other issues, answering questions in as much detail as possible. Dominik Ehmer, business partner in human resources at Rosenbauer International AG, held an engaging presentation titled “Villa RoSiPez” about how enriching offering childcare services can be. He emphasized the organizational context of offering various perks and added that in a competitive environment, these types of measures are important in order to attract highly qualified employees.

The forum also provided exciting and versatile insight into different kinds of family-friendly policies designed to support work and studies when organizing studies, working in academia and teaching as well as addressing qualifications and leadership, including work organization. The discussions included putting forth new ideas, including how to create future measures for on-going auditing procedures.

In 2011, the JKU was certified as a family-friendly organization and was strongly involved in developing the auditing process for the ‘hochschulundfamilie’ program at Austrian universities. The JKU is currently in the second re-auditing phase for the ‘hochschuleundfamilie’ program which began with a strategic workshop held at the end of March 2018. As part of the three-year auditing process, the focus is on the areas of studies & academia, human resource development, family services as well as policies regarding information and communications.