Nationwide, the world’s largest Building Society, has been named as winners of the Best Family Network award by work-life balance charity Working Families.
The awards, which comes as part of the charity’s 2021 Best Practice Awards, celebrate employers whose workplace culture and everyday working practices are leading the way in flexible and employee-friendly workplaces.
The award recognised Nationwide’s practical support provided to busy working parents and other family members through it’s Working Families Employee Network, particularly during the pandemic. Network members benefit from an extensive range of support including virtual drop-in sessions, where colleagues can come together to share their experiences. With the recent launch of the Angel Kisses and Rainbow Wishes support group, those struggling with the impacts of baby loss or fertility issues now also have a safe space to talk openly and seek support in the workplace.
One of the highlights of 2020 was the network’s ‘Little Stars’ certificates initiative, which saw almost 3,000 colleague’s children receive certificates in the post, signed by Nationwide CEO Joe Garner, who thanked them for their efforts and achievements during lockdown.
Jane Hanson, Chief People Officer at Nationwide, said: “It’s fantastic to be recognised by Working Families with this award. It is testament to Nationwide’s commitment to flexible working to give our people the support they need to manage their work lives around their other commitments. Our family-friendly policies are the result of engaging with, and listening to, our people about what they need from us, as their employer, to be able to bring their best selves to work each day. Our Working Families Employee Network, one of eight networks in the Society, has been central to this dialogue and we wouldn’t be where we are today without their input, challenge and guidance each step of the way.”
Jane van Zyl, Chief Executive of Working Families and chair of the judging panel, said: “After an extremely challenging year for working parents and employers alike, we are thrilled to be sharing our award-winning organisations for 2021, celebrating exceptional best practice and support for parents and carers across a wide range of sectors. This last year has shown that flexible, family-friendly working practices are possible in many more jobs and sectors than previously thought, and the breadth of our winning organisations demonstrates that.
“As we move out of the pandemic into the ‘new normal’, we are determined to use what we’ve learned to benefit more of the UK’s 13 million working parents. When employees have more control over their time, we see improved engagement and retention, as well as better organisational performance. Our Best Practice Awards winners 2021 are leading the way in making this a reality for thousands of parents and carers.”
