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Productivity and wage effects of “family‐friendly” fringe benefits

Productivity and wage effects of “family‐friendly” fringe benefits Family‐supportive employment benefits have become increasingly popular in recent years as an employer response to the increasing labor force participation of women, and the consequent need to balance work and family life. Economic theory predicts that these types of fringe benefits could at least partially pay for themselves through a combination of increased productivity and lower wages. A survey of 120 employers in an upstate New York county provides data on benefits packages and outcome measures that are used to test this hypothesis. We find that employers who offer flexible sick leave and child care assistance experience measurable reductions in turnover. Employers who offer benefits like flexible scheduling policies and child care also appear to offset part of the cost of these benefits by paying lower entry‐level wages than do their competitors. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png International Journal of Manpower Emerald Publishing

Productivity and wage effects of “family‐friendly” fringe benefits

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Publisher
Emerald Publishing
Copyright
Copyright © 2003 MCB UP Ltd. All rights reserved.
ISSN
0143-7720
DOI
10.1108/01437720310479723
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

Family‐supportive employment benefits have become increasingly popular in recent years as an employer response to the increasing labor force participation of women, and the consequent need to balance work and family life. Economic theory predicts that these types of fringe benefits could at least partially pay for themselves through a combination of increased productivity and lower wages. A survey of 120 employers in an upstate New York county provides data on benefits packages and outcome measures that are used to test this hypothesis. We find that employers who offer flexible sick leave and child care assistance experience measurable reductions in turnover. Employers who offer benefits like flexible scheduling policies and child care also appear to offset part of the cost of these benefits by paying lower entry‐level wages than do their competitors.

Journal

International Journal of Manpower – Emerald Publishing

Published: May 1, 2003

Keywords: Family‐friendly organizations; Fringe benefits; Productivity; Wages; Surveys; USA

References

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    Barton, L.
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    Galinsky, E.; Johnson, A.
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    Keller, L.
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    Pauly, M.
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    Phillips, J.D.
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    Rose, K.; Ahrens, A.
  • Statistical Abstract of the United States
    US Department of Commerce
  • ‘Family friendly’ policies: distribution and implementation in Australian workplaces
    Whitehouse, G.; Zetlin, D.