United Way salutes family-friendly business
By KAREN A. DAVIS
Sentinel staff writer
SANTA CRUZ — Barbecues and bowling outings with the kids are the norm for employees at Aladdin Systems in Watsonville.
And don’t be surprised to see a baby behind the counter at Bay Federal Credit Union in Capitola.
Several local companies were recognized this week by the United Way of Santa Cruz County’s Success By 6 program for promoting a family- friendly workplace.
Santa Cruz County parents rank balancing work and family as their number-one concern, ahead of financial or safety concerns, according to Judy Darnell with United Way.
Family-friendly company policies can reap employee loyalty by increasing job satisfaction, improving attendance and reducing stress, research shows.
"You can’t expect employees to concentrate on their work when they are worried about their children," says Carrie Birkhofer, a mother of three and chief executive officer of Bay Federal Credit Union in Capitola.
Birkhofer was able to take four months off for the births of each of her two youngest children. The credit union, which also lets employees bring their babies to work, was awarded first place in the large business category.
Awards were given to small businesses, those with one to 25 employees; medium businesses with 26 to 100 employees; and large ones with more than 100 workers.
A special kid’s corner complete with a fluffy sofa, snacks, games, crayons and videos greets the children of Somerset Door and Sash employees in Soquel. The space was set up to accommodate parents in a pinch when emergency child care isn’t available.
The company was named tops in the small business category. That’s no surprise to single mother of five and company office manager Aida Fisher of Santa Cruz. Somerset’s flexible work hours have allowed her to see her kids off to school "with a hug from mom."
"This is an employee-centered business," she said. "They have made everything work for my kids and my schedule."
When Fisher’s children were dropped from her ex-husband’s health-care plan, Somerset owners Peter and Lleni Carr helped make arrangements for their coverage.
Aladdin Systems Inc. took first place in the medium business category. The software company hosts parent- and kid-friendly events throughout the year, including trick-or-treat outings in October.