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May 21, 2008 9:32 pm US/Central
Best N. Texas Companies With Jobs For Working Moms
NORTH TEXAS (CBS 11 / TXA 21) ―
Telecommuting, flexible schedules and health coverage for part time work are all available for working moms in North Texas.
"Working Mother" magazine researched DFW companies exclusively for CBS 11 News and found the best corporate cultures for moms who want to work part time.
Officials at the magazine asked 700 questions to every company vying for a spot on their annual top 100 list.
"The questions are everything that has to do with flexibility in your work place, child care, leave for new parents, even the issue of elder care," said "Working Mother" magazine Editor Carol Evans.
Though corporate climates are changing, part-time jobs for working mothers are still difficult to come by. But here's another way to get them.
"My advice about finding part time work is, sort of the opposite," said Evans. "Find a full time job, prove yourself and then ask to shift to a part time position."
A total of 52 companies with offices in North Texas made the cut. Here's the list:
ABBOTT
Dallas, TX
FLEX APPEAL As long as the job gets done, employees at this pharmaceutical company can flex their schedules; options like flextime and compressed workweeks are particularly well used. Staffers may flex to care for kids or elderly parents, to volunteer or to go back to school.
ACCENTURE Dallas, TX
FLEX APPEAL Working at a distance is the way many employees at this global consulting and tech firm define flexibility. A whopping 92% of staffers telecommute, with many of them opting for ongoing training and reimbursable home-office setups. Workers can also tap flextime, compressed workweeks, job-sharing or part-time schedules. Best of all, they have to work just one hour a week to get health insurance.
ALLSTATE INSURANCE CO. Dallas, TX
FLEX APPEAL Ensuring that employees balance their busy lives is a priority at this leading insurance company. Nearly a third of staffers telecommute. But employees have other options—and they use them: Compressed workweeks, job-sharing and part-time schedules are also popular.
ARNOLD WORLDWIDE Forth Worth, TX
FLEX APPEAL Creativity is a valuable asset at this firm, especially when it comes to flexibility. Employees are free to craft unique schedules that fit their lifestyles: Last year, an impressive 97% either compressed their workweeks or altered their hours each day. Staffers can also telecommute or work part-time.
ASTRAZENECA Fort Worth, TX
FLEX APPEAL Last year, fully 90% of employees at the firm's main office used flexible options, from compressed workweeks and flextime to part-time schedules and job-sharing. Telecommuting is especially popular: More than two thirds of all headquarters employees—close to 2,700 staffers—regularly worked off-site last year.
BANK OF AMERICA Dallas, TX
FLEX APPEAL This financial powerhouse recently merged with credit-card issuer MBNA, adding more than 20,000 employees while retaining the benefits that have made it so competitive. Workers can flex or compress their hours, job-share or telecommute. What's more, staffers who work just 20 hours a week are eligible for benefits.
BOOZ ALLEN HAMILTON Dallas, TX
FLEX APPEAL This worldwide consulting firm launched a program in 2006 that's unusual in a business known for long hours: a formal part-time arrangement that lets employees cut their schedules by as much as 40% without losing career momentum. About two thirds of the U.S. staff made use of flexible arrangements last year, and 64% of employees worked off-site.
BOSTON CONSULTING GROUP Dallas, TX
FLEX APPEAL Innovation is the name of the game at this forward-thinking firm: Consultants set their own schedules, working until they get the job done. And because that sometimes means long hours, once they wrap a project they're "on the beach" until the next one—in contact by phone and email, but not required to be in the office. If employees need to step back from the heavy demands of consulting for a bit, they can switch to an assignment that requires fewer hours and less travel.
CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL GROUP PLANO, TX
FLEX APPEAL A Future of Work program supplies staffers with wireless laptops, BlackBerrys and cell phones, enabling them to work anywhere—in a conference room or at their own kitchen table. About one quarter of employees are part of this program, and another 60% of staffers have flexible work arrangements.
CARLSON Dallas, TX
FLEX APPEAL Hotels and restaurants don't operate on a 9-to-5 schedule, so flexibility is built into this firm. Employees who work at office jobs also tap flex options. More than a third of all workers use flextime, while others choose part-time hours or telecommuting. And employees receive health benefits after logging just 20 hours a week.
DAIMLER CHRYSLER Dallas, TX
FLEX APPEAL In a 2006 employee survey, workers at this auto giant reported a boost in satisfaction with the firm's work/life assistance. Employees can request a full slate of flex options, from reduced hours to job-sharing. Many female staffers can opt for part-time schedules after giving birth—and keep them while their children are young.
CISCO SYSTEMS INC Richardson, TX
FLEX APPEAL At this tech giant, flex is both a part of the big picture and a daily practice. Almost every employee used flextime last year, and 70% telecommuted. Because management and leadership tracks have multiple on-ramps, moms can opt out for a while without sidelining their careers.
CITI Dallas, TX
FLEX APPEAL Staffers at this global financial conglomerate play a key role in deciding how they work. Many tap a combination of options, including flextime, telecommuting, job-sharing, compressed hours and part-time work.
COLGATE PALMOLIVE Dallas, TX
FLEX APPEAL To fulfill its mission of "becoming the Best Place to Work," this consumer products giant offers flex options to all employees. Telecommuting staffers get support from company-provided training and computers. And part-timers don't sacrifice benefits: They qualify for health insurance after only 17.5 hours of work per week.
CREDIT SUISSE Dallas, TX
FLEX APPEAL This financial firm's global businesses are 24/7 endeavors, yet its employees have work/life balance. How? The company makes alternate work arrangements—including flextime, telecommuting, compressed workweeks and part-time hours—part of its culture.
DELOITTE & TOUCHE USA LLP Dallas, TX
FLEX APPEAL This financial services leader, known for its intense work environment, allows employees to flex their schedules daily so they can juggle career and home commitments. An impressive 78% of staffers telecommuted at some point last year.
DOW CHEMICAL CO. Garland, TX
FLEX APPEAL Manufacturing firms have often been slow to adopt flex policies and practices—but that's not true at this progressive company: More than half of all employees telecommuted last year, while 22% of workers used flextime. If staffers want to work compressed weeks, job-share or switch to a part-time schedule, they can request that, too.
ERNST & YOUNG Dallas, TX
FLEX APPEAL Employees have a wide array of flex choices at this leading tax and accounting company, but the two most popular informal options are flextime and telecommuting. Staffers who work in the tax practice may also opt for a part-year schedule—working just three or four months each year, during the busy season.
FANNIE MAE Dallas, TX
FLEX APPEAL All employees at this financial services company are eligible for five flex options, subject to manager approval: flextime, compressed workweeks, part-time hours, job-sharing and telecommuting. And those putting in 20 hours a week receive health benefits.
FIRST HORIZON NATIONAL CORP Dallas, TX
FLEX APPEAL This financial institution invests a great deal of thought in keeping staffers happy. One policy that really works: flextime. Last year, 84% of employees occasionally adjusted their hours for personal reasons, and more than half worked permanent alternate arrangements that let them compress their hours, job-share or telecommute. A special program allows eligible high-performing employees to scale back to a part-time schedule and keep their full benefits.
FIRST NATIONAL BANK Plano, TX
FLEX APPEAL More than half of all employees took advantage of the flex options at this family-friendly firm in 2006. Whether sharing a job, working from home or compressing their weeks, staffers found the perfect arrangement to suit their needs. Health benefits are available to anyone working at least 20 hours a week.
FORD MOTOR CO Dallas, TX
FLEX APPEAL This auto giant makes it easy for employees to navigate their way around family demands, thanks to a full slate of flex options that includes flextime, compressed workweeks, part-time schedules and telecommuting. Last year, 100% of salaried staffers used flextime. Employees qualify for benefits after working just 16 hours per week.
GENERAL ELECTRIC CO. Dallas, TX
FLEX APPEAL The majority of this company's workers—80%—gave a thumbs-up to its flexibility in a 2006 survey. While different branches of the firm have different policies, roughly half of all staffers used flextime last year, and 20% telecommuted. Laptops are supplied to employees who work at home.
GLAXOSMITHKLINE Dallas, TX
FLEX APPEAL Promoting good health is this firm's mission, and giving employees the flexibility to balance work and family life (and reduce health-depleting stress) is an essential company benefit. Almost 13,000 staffers flexed their schedules, and more than 17,000 telecommuted last year. Staffers who want to spend extra time with their kids when school's out can request reduced summer work hours during June, July and August.
GOLDMAN SACHS & CO. Dallas, TX
FLEX APPEAL Flexibility isn't the norm in the high-stress world of investment banking, but this firm thinks differently: Last year it made a big push to let employ-ees flex their schedules informally or work from home without undergoing a cumbersome approval process. Thanks to less red tape and newly trained managers who promote flex arrangements, staffers' use of flex policies has since increased by 10%.
GRANT THORNTON LLP Dallas, TX
FLEX APPEAL A new summer compressed workweek lets employees at some locations of this busy accounting firm kick back a little when the kids are out of school: Staffers do a full week's work in 4.5 days, then take an afternoon off. In addition, nearly everyone can work from home thanks to company-provided laptops, and flextime is almost universally used.
HEWLETT-PACKARD CO. Dallas, TX
FLEX APPEAL This high-tech powerhouse estimates that 80% of its employees around the globe use some kind of flextime. Telecommuting, part-time schedules and job-sharing are popular, as are compressed workweeks. Part-timers receive health benefits if they put in at least 20 hours a week.
IBM CORP Dallas, TX
FLEX APPEAL This tech pioneer knows that its many flex policies won't be as effective if employees are working too many hours. So last year it put the power in the hands of its people: A new program, People Oriented Work Redesign (POWR), teaches employees how to cut the time they spend on low-value tasks and boost their productivity—all in an effort to help staffers get home to their families sooner.
JP MORGAN Dallas, TX
FLEX APPEAL This august financial institution, now more than 200 years old, has lasted so long by evolving—and its family-friendly policies have evolved, too. Last year, more than 24% of employees worked flex schedules, job-shared, compressed their hours, telecommuted or chose part-time schedules.
KATTEN MUCHIN ROSENMAN LLP Irving, TX
FLEX APPEAL Helping women thrive is a priority at this law firm, and offering a solid flex menu is a winning strategy. Flextime, part-time, compressed workweeks and telecommuting are all available, and attorneys who choose to work from home are provided with 24/7 help-desk access and at-home tech support.
KPMG LLP Dallas, TX
FLEX APPEAL Being a great place to work means giving employees plenty of ways to customize their schedules. Staffers at this accounting firm can flex their hours, work from home or opt for compressed workweeks—and more than 65% of them do.
KRAFT FOODS Irving, TX
FLEX APPEAL With families making up a huge portion of its consumer base, this food giant is well aware that moms have a lot on their plate. That's why the corporate culture helps female staffers succeed at work without sacrificing their family life—and flex is a big factor. Almost 100% of the workforce used a flex schedule at some point last year, and thousands of staffers telecommuted. Part-time work and job-sharing are also available, with health insurance benefits available to employees who log at least 20 hours a week.
MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL LLC Dallas, TX
FLEX APPEAL If workers at this global hospitality chain have to run errands, go to a doctor's appointment or handle unexpected events, they can cash in Flex Coupons, good for a predetermined number of hours off. To make using flexible arrangements easier, employees simply log on to a new online system that lets them pick the plan that works best for them and request approval from management.
MASS MUTUAL FINANCIAL GROUP Dallas, TX
FLEX APPEAL This insurance firm goes all out to ensure its policies are family-friendly—and it succeeds. About 95% of staffers used flex last year. Compressed workweeks, job-sharing, part-time work and telecommuting are also popular. Those working at least 20 hours weekly are eligible for health insurance.
MCGRAW-HILL CO. Dallas, TX
FLEX APPEAL Working from home is the flex option of choice for the majority of this firm's employees: Almost two thirds (61%) telecommuted last year. Flexing hours made life more manageable for 25% of workers, while others relied on compressed workweeks or job-sharing.
MERRILL LYNCH Dallas, TX
FLEX APPEAL Almost half of the staffers at this financial services firm are equipped to work at a distance, whether it's from home or the doctor's office. The company provides BlackBerrys, laptops and cell phones. Employees can also job-share and tap flextime as well as compressed or part-time schedules. Working just 18 hours a week qualifies employees for benefits.
METLIFE Dallas, TX
FLEX APPEAL As one of the country's biggest insurers, this firm helps its customers prepare for life's "what ifs"—and it does the same for its employees. Flex options include compressed workweeks, job-sharing, flextime and part-time schedules. More than 400 employees telecommute, and the company is piloting programs to allow for greater use of various flex arrangements.
MICROSOFT Irving, TX
FLEX APPEAL This high-tech innovator is on the cutting edge of flexible work arrangements: In addition to offering flextime, compressed workweeks and job-shares, the company extends health benefits to all part-time employees, regardless of how few hours they work. It has also instituted a program to provide employees who work primarily from home with "touchdown" workspaces for the days when they come into the office.
MORGAN STANLEY Dallas, TX
FLEX APPEAL The demands of the financial services industry aren't always a cakewalk for moms, but as company co-president Zoe Cruz says, "We are determined to make Morgan Stanley the employer of choice for talented women." One way they do that is by giving the nod to thousands of employees who want to use flex arrangements. About half the firm's staffers telecommuted in 2006, and more than 1,100 worked part-time.
NORTHERN TRUST Dallas, TX
FLEX APPEAL With a third of the firm's staffers parenting kids under the age of 12, flexible schedules are a must. Employees are free to come up with creative combinations that suit their lives, such as pairing telecommuting with a compressed workweek or working full-time during the school year and part-time during the summer. Staffers receive full benefits after working just 20 hours a week.
PFIZER Fort Worth, TX
FLEX APPEAL The world's largest pharmaceutical company demands excellence and rewards employees with scheduling freedom. A significant 73% of staffers flex their hours, while 40% telecommute and some work summer hours or job-share.
THE PNC FINANCIAL SERVICES GROUP INC. Dallas, TX
FLEX APPEAL Parents welcomed the introduction of Thursday-Sunday schedules for some positions last year. The move was yet another way the company showed its commitment to flexibility: More than half of all staffers already flex their hours, and a third telecommute or compress their workweeks.
PRICEWATERHOUSE-COOPERS LLP Dallas, TX
FLEX APPEAL Moms at this major accounting firm have many choices when it comes to crafting a schedule that suits their needs. Flextime, telecommuting, part-time work and job-sharing are some of their options.
PRUDENTIAL FINANCIAL Dallas, TX
FLEX APPEAL Thanks to an array of flex choices, finding balance is easy at this financial services firm. More than 90% of employees flex their hours, and 51% use other forms of flex, from compressing their schedule to working part-time. Major technology investments have helped telecommuting take off, with about 44% of workers logging in from home—up from 29% in 2005.
RSM MCGLADREY INC. Dallas, TX
FLEX APPEAL Flexibility starts at the top at this Midwestern accounting and tax firm: The president, a father of two, works from home whenever he's not traveling. And he's not the only one. Employees enjoy an array of options—from telecommuting to flextime and compressed schedules. Company leaders are responsible for making sure it stays that way: Each geographic unit is held accountable for building a flexible work environment.
SANOFI-AVENTIS U.S. Dallas, TX
FLEX APPEAL This U.S.-based subsidiary of the French pharmaceutical giant is as committed to the well-being of its employees as it is to that of its customers. Staffers are encouraged to take advantage of flextime, compressed workweeks, part-year schedules, telecommuting, job-sharing or part-time work.
SCHERING PLOUGH Dallas, TX
FLEX APPEAL For parents at this pharmaceutical company, juggling work and home life isn't difficult—not when alternative work schedules are so commonplace. Flextime is a hit with the majority of workers—69% of them use it—while connecting to the office from home is the solution for 48% of staffers.
TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INC Dallas, TX
FLEX APPEAL With 50 worksites in 26 states, this firm relies on flex schedules to meet the needs of its far-flung workforce. More than half of all staffers flexed their hours or telecommuted last year, while 20% compressed their weeks. Parents who want to stay close to home may request minimal-travel positions.
TURNER BROADCASTING SYSTEMS Dallas, TX
FLEX APPEAL The news business can be grueling, with long hours and sudden, unexpected assignments, but this multimedia organization provides plenty of opportunities for flexibility. More than half of its staffers flex their hours, while others telecommute, compress their workweeks or work part-time.
UBS Dallas, TX
FLEX APPEAL Although employees at this leading New York City financial services firm can elect to job-share or compress their workweeks, their favorite option is flextime: 82% of staffers changed their hours at some point last year.
VERIZON COMMUNICATIONS Dallas, TX
FLEX APPEAL With nearly a quarter of a million employees, this telecommunications powerhouse has to accommodate a variety of workers' needs. Last year, one in five staffers relied on flextime to balance work and family demands. Other flex options include job-sharing, part-time schedules and telecommuting.
WACHOVIA CORP. Dallas, TX
FLEX APPEAL Plugging into the office from home was the ideal work arrangement for 31% of this firm's employees last year, while nearly 20% of workers changed their hours when the need arose. How did some other staffers flex in 2006? By working shorter weeks, job-sharing and shifting from full- to part-time schedules
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