The White House Forum on Workplace Flexibility

On March 31, 2010, President Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama and the White House Council on Women and Girls hosted the White House Forum on Workplace Flexibility to discuss the importance of creating workplace practices that allow America’s working men and women to meet the demands of their jobs without sacrificing the needs of their families.

Families and Work Institute was honored to have been among a small group of work-life leaders who helped the White House Council on Women and Girls plan this Forum, and were especially pleased that the Forum included some of the innovative employers who are winners of the Sloan Awards for Business Excellence in Workplace Flexibility.

• Press release: President and First Lady Host White House Forum on Workplace Flexibility

Videos of the Forum

• Opening Session: First Lady Michelle Obama
• Breakout 1: The Benefits of Workplace Flexibility
• Breakout 2: Best Practices Day-to-Day
• Breakout 3: Best Practices Day-to-Day
• Breakout 4: Best Practices for Small Business
• Breakout 5: The Changing American Workforce
• Closing Session: President Obama's Remarks

Report

As part of the White House Forum, the Council of Economic Advisors released a report presenting an economic perspective on flexible workplace policies and practices, featuring data from Families and Work Institute’s 2008 National Study of Employers.

• CEA Report: Work-Life Balance and the Economics of Workplace Flexibility (pdf)
• Blog post: The Economics of Workplace Flexibility by Cecilia Rouse, Council of Economic Advisers

Reflections on the Forum

• Blog post: A Conversation on Workplace Flexibility by Valerie Jarrett, Senior Advisor to the President and Chair of the White House Council on Women and Girls
• Blog post: Making History: The White House Forum on Workplace Flexibility by Ellen Galinsky, President, Families and Work Institute
• Blog post: The Day after the White House Forum by Ellen Galinsky
• Blog post: Is Making the Business Case for Workplace Flexibility Fading into History by Ellen Galinsky

Women’s Bureau to Host Regional Forums on Workplace Flexibility

On July 20, 2010, Vice President Joe Biden held a Middle Class Task Force event at the White House to announce initiatives and developments in the areas of equal pay and work-life balance. At the event, Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis announced that, in follow up to the White House's Flexibility Forum, the Women's Bureau will host four, high-profile regional forums across the country, which will kick off in the fall 2010.

• Press release: Vice President Biden Holds Middle Class Task Force Event on Work and Family
• Press release: US Labor Department pay equity and workplace flexibility initiatives announced as part of White House Middle Class Task Force forum
• Women’s Bureau announces location and themes for regional forums on workplace flexibility
• Blog post: Notes from Vice President Biden’s Middle Class Task Force Event on Work and Family by Lois Backon, Senior Vice President, Families and Work Institute

White House Launches Work-Flex Event Starter Kit

Also at the July 20th Middle Class Task Force Event, the White House announced the launch of a Work-Flex Event Starter Kit to encourage greater dialogue around workplace flexibility at the community level. This online resource is intended to help employer and employee associations, advocates, civic groups, elected officials, and others host their own events on workplace flexibility.

• Work-Flex Event Starter Kit
• Blog post: The Conversation Continues: Equal Pay and Workplace Flexibility by Valerie Jarrett, Senior Advisor to the President and Chair of the White House Council on Women and Girls