Work and Family Balance in Regional Victoria

Industrial Relations Victoria, in partnership with Regional Development Victoria, has completed a research project investigating work and family balance in regional Victoria.

The Work and Family Balance in Regional Victoria Pilot Project, which is the first of its kind in Australia, examines how workers, employers and local communities are working together to assist work and family balance, and what conditions assist the ability of employees to balance their obligations at work, at home and in the community.

The project focused on the following four Victorian regional areas:

• Latrobe City
• Bendigo
• Colac
• Horsham

The project researchers:

• collected and analysed relevant regional benchmark data
• consulted with key stakeholders including local government and employer associations, unions, local business, community organisations and service providers
• conducted focus groups with employees 
• conducted regional round tables in each region to discuss action locally and for government.

Outcomes of the project included:

• information on the different ways workplace conditions and benefits operate for workers with family responsibilities across industry in rural and regional Victoria
• information about how these differences affect the ability of employees to balance their work and family responsibilities
• an early indication of the impact the federal IR changes may have on working families in rural and regional Victoria
• potential or existing models at the local level that could assist the work and family balance in Victorian regional communities
• case studies of workplaces with good work and family balance practices

The research report was officially launched in April 2007 and can be accessed below:

	Work and Family Balance in Regional Victoria (PDF 356Kb)
	The Government's new report on how families in regional areas are balancing work and family commitments

	Work and Family Balance in Regional Victoria - Appendices (PDF 973Kb)
	Background information to the research project, including regional data

Project case studies

Case studies demonstrating good practice by regional employers:

	Civic Home Timber and Hardware, Colac - Working Families Regional Case Study (PDF 77Kb)
	A successful timber and hardware business in Colac has found that flexibility is the key to keeping good staff

	Family Day Care, Colac Otway Shire - Working Families Regional Case Study (PDF 77Kb)
	A flexible child care service meeting the needs of regional employees

	Gippsland Water - Working Families Regional Case Study (PDF 78Kb)
	For Gippsland Water, flexible working arrangements can mean the difference in attracting and retaining good staff in a competitive, regional environment

	Intervet, Bendigo - Working Families Regional Case Study (PDF 80Kb)
	Flexible working arrangements may help in attracting and retaining staff

	Telstra Shop, Horsham - Working Families Regional Case Study (PDF 78Kb)
	Providing flexibility for staff balancing work with other responsibilities