"The company has allowed me to address the demands of raising two young children by providing a flexible and family-supportive environment. Without such support, I would not have been able to achieve my career goals within Chrysler Group," said Bouckley. "The support has enabled me to give both my family and the corporation the best of me."
Bouckley has been able to benefit from the company's work/family account and employee referral programs, thus exposing her children to high-quality programs in her absence. This is very important since Bouckley's workday often exceeds the traditional eight-hour shift. She also is able to expose her children to many community-based programs that further their social and academic experiences.
The Chrysler Group also supports similar needs of its UAW-represented employees through joint programs created in cooperation with the United Auto Workers. The programs, coordinated by the Detroit-based UAW-DaimlerChrysler National Training Center, offer a broad range of work-life services, including childcare, summer camps and parenting advice.
John S. Franciosi, Chrysler Group Senior Vice President Employee Relations said, "Family-friendly practices help companies keep good employees. By embracing the concerns of working parents, we are better positioned to recruit and retain talented employees needed to remain competitive," he said.
To further support the needs of its workforce, Chrysler Group is a member of the Alliance for Children and Working Families, a coalition that includes Ford, General Motors and the UAW.
According to Rae, proactive work family programs help establish a company as a preferred employer. "These programs also foster an environment where people are proud to work because they know the company cares about them."