Working parents laud HCC as ‘truly committed’ to work-life balance
College named Best Place for Working Parents employer two years running
As the mom of a kindergartner, Candace Batiste knows that the unexpected is just around the corner no matter how much she plans.
“If my daughter suddenly gets sick, it’s up to me to be there for her,” said Batiste, an administrative assistant at Houston Community College’s (HCC) Coleman College for Health Sciences. “It’s a great comfort to me to be at work with people who are understanding and willing to allow me to respond to my family’s needs, even at the last minute. I think every parent can relate to my situation.”
Indeed, that consideration for its employees is a key reason for HCC receiving a Best Place for Working Parents® Designation for the second straight year. The honor comes from Best Place for Working Parents, a national collaborative and network of businesses across the U.S. dedicated to support for working parents through evidence-based strategies.
To earn the distinction, employers respond to an online assessment that details their support of family-friendly policies. That philosophy of doing business is nice, said Batiste, but actions of an employer speak louder than words.
“And, I’ve found HCC is truly committed to being that kind of employer,” she explained. “At times, that’s a lifesaver.”
Faculty member James Campbell agreed, noting that the college maintains a schedule of instruction that mirrors the breaks taken by area school districts.
“When I joined HCC full time, knowing I could be on the same schedule as my children changed my life for the better,” the professor and clinical education director of HCC’s Respiratory Therapy program and father of two teens said.
Previously, he and his wife had to juggle responsibilities as parents since he was working 12-hour shifts at hospitals that included a lot of weekends and holidays. “I can now enjoy precious time with family that I wouldn’t otherwise have thanks to HCC, and that is very important to me and my family,” he said. Campbell said it has also freed up time for him to continue his own education. The HCC graduate is now completing a doctoral degree in his field.
Holding the Best Place for Working Parents honor from among Houston-area businesses is a major feather in HCC’s cap, said Izzy Anderson, J.D., vice chancellor of Talent Engagement and chief HR officer for the HCC system.
“Our employees consistently provide feedback that indicates our managers actively support the needs of working parents,” she said. “Our family friendly practices ensure that our faculty and staff have the flexibility they need to thrive in their roles.”
She cited HCC’s additional pluses, including recently increasing maximum vacation rollover hours from 80 to 200 hours, the creation of a remote work regulation accessible to employees and multiple extensions beyond expiration of the federal regulations to an HCC-specific COVID leave policy.
This has reduced negative impacts to employee sick and vacation leave banks, Anderson said. HCC also has onsite, subsidized day care available to faculty and staff.
In general, HCC also provides generous paid time off and sick leave. Each year, the college has up to 27 paid holidays for its fulltime, benefits-eligible employees. Included in that number is a winter break of 10 days and a spring break of five days for its approximately 5,300 employees. The college recently increased its Thanksgiving holiday period from two days to a full week.
Policies such as these help the economy thrive at a time when the U.S. has seen a huge decline in workplace participation, research shows. The consulting firm McKinsey reported that more than 15 million U.S. workers have quit their jobs since April 2021 with about 45 percent saying the main cause for leaving was the need to take care of their families.