Neil Kline Wins Prestigious Above and Beyond Award

Neil Kline, the Executive Director of Family Friendly Workplaces (FFW), was awarded the 2023 Above and Beyond Award by Momentum West for his impressive work in talent attraction to help address western Wisconsin's workforce shortages and strengthen family units by certifying employers as family-friendly and encouraging the adoption of family-friendly practices.

"Western Wisconsin has long been a solid destination for raising a family, and the efforts of Neil and Family Friend Workplaces are making it possible for more families to flourish here," said Steve Jahn, Executive Director of Momentum West. "By encouraging businesses to adopt policies and practices that support early childhood and family bonding, these employers can retain talent while helping to promote healthy child development, which can lead children to explore more exciting career pathways."

Addressing Workforce Shortages: Neil Kline's Family-Focused Strategies for Western Wisconsin

"Folks should know that we face a long-term workforce shortage that threatens the economic vitality of our region," said Neil Kline, Executive Director of Family Friendly Workplaces. "While the problem is significant and is interrelated with housing and childcare, we can do something about it, and if we do, it will mean that we are securing the economic future of small towns and communities across western and northwestern Wisconsin."

Family Friendly Workplaces certifies employers as family friendly to help them recruit and retain employees. This is part of FFW’s long-term effort to help mitigate long-term workforce shortages and 'brain drain,' which refers to the emigration of highly skilled or educated individuals.

This certification program evaluates the benefits offered by an employer, comparing them to regional benchmarks, with the overall goals of helping employers evaluate where their benefits land in the market and working to raise the level of family-supporting benefits in the region. This immediate-term approach is complemented by a medium-term focus on talent attraction and a long-term focus on supporting early childhood.

In 2023, 97.6 percent of families with children had at least one employed parent, and 67.0 percent of these families were working. Neil Kline believes that everyone deserves to live in strong families and vibrant communities. By elevating the success of families and children and contributing to building communities that thrive socially and economically, FFW is working to ensure western and northwestern Wisconsin has vibrant communities for years to come. This long-term vision reassures us of a promising future.

Momentum West's Support Elevates Family Friendly Workplaces as a Key Talent Attraction Tool

Being situated in the Momentum West region has significantly benefited this organization, mainly due to the region's strong emphasis on collaboration. "Our work thrives on the partnerships we've established with county economic development corporations, Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC), and Momentum West itself," said Kline. "The region's collective willingness to collaborate is a powerful asset that enables all of our organizations to meet our goals more effectively."

Family Friendly Workplaces received substantial assistance through grant support and programmatic partnerships. The WEDC awarded the organization a Capacity Building Grant to explore implementing family-friendliness as a large-scale talent attraction tool. Additionally, WBD provided a significant grant to support FFW’s general operations.

"We've also collaborated with Polk County EDC to host three breakfast events focusing on housing and talent attraction, and we're replicating these events in St. Croix County in partnership with St. Croix EDC. These partnerships exemplify the supportive environment that defines the Momentum West region," said Kilne.

"One of our primary future goals is to establish a community certification program that evaluates and certifies communities based on a matrix of family-friendly measures. This initiative aims to leverage family-friendliness as a regional talent attraction tool, vital to our medium-term strategy for addressing workforce shortages," said Kline.

For more information about Family Friendly Workplaces, visit their website at https://www.familyfriendlyworkplaces.org/