Description

As Wisconsin’s workforce tightens, employers are facing increased turnover costs, shrinking labor pools, and growing pressure to attract and retain families. Family-friendly workplace practices, including flexibility, caregiving support, and benefits that support employees across life stages, are emerging as high-ROI workforce strategies, not just “nice-to-have” perks.

Greater La Crosse is home to the largest Family Friendly Workplace-certified employer in the state of Wisconsin, Emplify Health by Gundersen, highlighting how local organizations are already using family-friendly strategies to strengthen recruitment, retention, and workforce participation.

This Workforce Innovation Series session will explore the business case for becoming a Family Friendly Workplace, including how employers can pursue Family Friendly Workplace certification and the return on investment organizations are seeing.

Breakfast is included!

Participants will hear from:

• Neil Kline, Executive Director, Family Friendly Workplaces
• Jill Taylor, Chief Administration Officer, Trust Point
• Rebecca Franzen, Director of Human Resources, City of La Crosse
• Audra Wieser, Director of Operations, The Parenting Place
• Kaylee Nix, Child Care Development Coordinator, The Parenting Place

Audra Weiser and Kaylee Nix will present new findings from the City of La Crosse Childcare Survey, along with employer partnership programs designed to help organizations address childcare and caregiving-related workforce barriers through shared investment models, reimbursement opportunities, and ARPA-supported pilot programs.

Designed for business owners, executives, HR leaders, and supervisors, this session will provide practical insights into how family-friendly workplace strategies can reduce turnover, improve recruitment outcomes, and strengthen the regional workforce.