Printed from The Vanier Institute of the Family's website at www.vifamily.ca. © 2007.

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     > Press Release November 29, 2004

November 29, 2004

Why Business Should Care About Canadian Families?

OTTAWA—Three out of ten staff are absent from work today. One is home with a child too sick to attend her regular child care program. Another is on an two-month leave of absence due to depression. The third is in bed with chronic back pain that has flared up. If this sounds familiar, you are not alone. From 25 to 30% of workers are absent for all of some part of each week. And much of that has to do with stress, as dual-income families struggle to strike a balance between their work and home responsibilities.

"Employee stress costs Canadian businesses an estimated $12-billion a year," says Alan Mirabelli, Executive Director of Administration and Communication at the Vanier Institute of the Family. "Families do not live in a vacuum. When families suffer because circumstances are such that the people in them can't adequately care and provide for each other, everyone suffers. If employers took some responsibility to help their staff achieve better balance, things would improve dramatically. Morale, stress, absence. And of course productivity!"

Profiling Canada's Families III, released today by the Vanier Institute of the Family, is a 'must read' for employers to learn about Canadian families today. Most, if not all, of the 79 profiles presented have direct implications for the business community as suggested by these profile subtitles:

• Fewer men and more women in paid labour force
• Later and fewer babies
• Boomers make really big waves as they grow and age
• Pack your bags, we're moving again
• Looking for six-figure incomes

Profiling III offers 79 profiles of today's families in all their varied forms. It identifies top trends and highlights regional differences. The profiles present data and a discussion on specific aspects of families — from how many we are and who we live with, to how happy we are and what we do together. And each profile offers some preliminary thoughts on why we should care about each finding — what are its implications.

"What makes the Profiling series so valuable is that it pulls together so much information about Canadian families in a very accessible format," says Mirabelli. "Having a better understanding of what families look like and face today is a golden opportunity for businesses. So many of the changes Canadians have experienced in their families are the result of social and economic upheaval. We all have a responsibility to act. Employers could really make a difference by creating more family-friendly workplaces."

Click here for information on how to purchase a copy of Profiling Canada's Families III.