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Working Mother Hall of Fame
As part of an industry that does not have a large percentage of women in its workforce, TI may not be top-of-mind when it comes to naming companies with progressive family-friendly benefits. But it should be.
In 2010, TI was again recognized by Working Mother magazine for its long-standing commitment to providing a great workplace for working moms. After being named to the magazine's "Working Mother 100 Best Companies" list for 15 consecutive years, TI also became one of only 29 companies to be inducted into the prestigious Working Mother Hall of Fame.
All 2010 Working Mother 100 Best Companies were selected based on an extensive application process, which evaluates eight key areas including workforce representation, women’s advancement potential, child care, flexible work, paid time off and work-life programs.
According to Steve Lyle, TI’s manager of Diversity and Workforce Development, although only 23 percent of TI’s U.S. workforce is women, there are two driving forces behind the company’s ongoing commitment to supporting a diverse workforce with family-focused benefits: attracting and retaining top talent and inspiring innovation.
Making the grade
Providing comprehensive work-life programs and policies for working moms and dads helps TI attract and retain top female talent. It also supports a diverse and engaged workforce, which enables TI to develop innovative solutions for its customers.
“Initially, the company’s focus was on providing work-life benefits aimed at attracting women,” Lyle said. “However, we’ve found that what brings value today are programs that serve both women and men.”
“TI is dedicated to supporting employees with families through a range of initiatives,” said Jennifer Owens, senior director of Working Mother Editorial Research & Initiatives.
Changing times
TI’s family-focused programs have been evolving since the early 1990s when the company created its first work-life program manager role, held by Betty Purkey.
“At that time we didn’t have any formal work-life programs in place,” said Purkey, who retired from TI in 2009. “However, we did have a few child care discount programs and some experimentation had been done with part-time work arrangements.”
After conducting a needs assessment of U.S. employees in 1993, results revealed a distinct need for scheduling flexibility and a way for employees to quickly find work-life resources. In response, Purkey launched a formal flexible work options policy and introduced it in four TI U.S.-based business groups for a year-long pilot study.
“Getting managers to feel comfortable with the idea of having their team members work from home at least some of the time was one of our greatest initial challenges,” she explained. “Back then, the technology options for working remotely were not as good as they are today. We needed to prove that people could be just as productive working at home.”
The pilot proved successful and the formal flexible work options policy was adopted. Purkey focused next on implementing comprehensive work-life resource and referral programs in the U.S., which continue today. These programs assist employees with child care and elder care issues and can help them manage emotional and personal conflicts such as stress, depression and much more.
“TI’s programs have evolved over time,” Purkey said. “There has been a revolution around scheduling flexibility along with the introduction of new policies, like paid paternity leave.”
Providing benefits that matter
According to employee survey responses, focus group results, direct feedback and usage statistics, flexible work programs, parent and elder care networks and the company’s Employee Assistance Program are among the most valued work-life programs.
“Even though I am running a business, I have lots of schedule flexibility,” said Dipti Vanchani, a TI product line manager. “I work from home in the morning, take the kids to school and am back home by 5:30 p.m. on days that I’m not traveling on business.”
TI’s online parenting and elder care network support groups have grown by leaps and bounds in recent years. And, in response to employee feedback, TI continues to expand its long-standing school break on-site child care program in Dallas, Texas, where roughly one-third of the company’s workforce is based.
In addition to summer camp and week-long camps offered during winter and spring breaks, Texins Activity Centers host one-day camps that coincide with other school holidays. TI subsidizes the camps to provide an affordable, quality experience for TI kids focused on education, exercise, nutrition and fun.
“Last year, parent satisfaction scores were through the roof,” said Royce Jones, TI’s work-life manager. “A total of 78 percent of campers’ parents completed our child care survey and gave a 99 percent satisfaction rating.”
Other popular TI work-life program benefits focus on convenience and healthy living, including on-site blood pressure machines located across TI campuses to help employees monitor their blood pressure and track their weight. TI also makes on-site flu shots available at its U.S. sites with high employee concentrations.
Staying on top
As a newly minted Working Mother Hall of Fame inductee, TI remains committed to providing its employees with outstanding work-life benefits and evolving programs as employees’ work-life needs change.
“We are not resting on our laurels,” said Kelley Shaw-Proia, TI manager of Wellness and Work-Life Programs. “Our workforce has changed significantly over the past 15 years, and we’ve been engaged in a comprehensive assessment of our workforce demographics and work-life programs to shape a strategy for the future.”
Throughout 2010, Shaw-Proia and her team conducted work-life assessments and employee focus groups to obtain information and feedback that will help shape the company’s work-life program moving forward.
“The needs of a new generation of employees are being considered, along with technology advancements like social media and interactive websites,” Shaw-Proia said. “Our ultimate goal is to make our employees’ lives easier through the availability of programs and policies that really make a difference.”
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