What is a parent-friendly workplace?

A new nationwide programme in the UAE, the Parent-friendly Label, is aimed at identifying employers supporting parents who are juggling work and home life. Laila Al Hassan, chief culture officer and lead of the Parent-friendly Label at the Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority, talks to host Kelsey Warner about what inspired the programme and the criteria organisations need to be considered parent-friendly. Ms Al Hassan says the programme aims to support working families in the UAE, where a majority of parents are expats without a typical family support system. She explains that parent-friendly policies go beyond just offering nursing rooms, to understanding the needs of employees and considering their wellbeing. To get this label, companies go through an assessment to check if they meet certain criteria, such as parental leave, family care, family wellbeing innovation and company culture, Ms Al Hassan says. In this episode: What is the Parent-friendly Label and which criteria is used in awarding the label? (0m 41s) How can a company apply? (3m 59s) The benchmarks for the Parent-friendly Label (5m 39s) Policies parents should look for when applying at a parent-friendly company (7m 12s)