Georgia is one of the worst places for working dads, earning a 43 ranking overall and a 50 for work-life balance in a study by financial site WalletHub.com.
That doesn't mean there aren't any bright spots. These five Atlanta-based companies have policies that are friendly toward family, health and flexibility.
Alii Healthcare, which offers customers direct connection with emergency trained doctors through a mobile app called Bond Intelligent Care, was ranked the No. 1 small company on the latest Dave Thomas Foundation For Adoption's 2015 100 Best Adoption-Friendly Workplaces.
For employees seeking to adopt, Alii, which placed 27 overall on the national list, offers up to $10,000 for adoption cost reimbursement, as well as eight weeks paid leave, according to the foundation.
Alii's website promises future employees commute benefits, including paid underground parking or $400 for bicycle equipment. The company states that vacation time and time off are scheduled, but not tracked or limited. Health promotion benefits include refunds for any visits with Bond, a free gym membership and a promise of healthy snacks in the office.
75 5th St. NW, Atlanta, Ga., 30308. 678-453-8359. www.aliihealthcare.com
Alston & Bird LLP has garnered recognition in several areas of employee work-life balance.
Ranked No. 21, the Dave Thomas Foundation cited Alston & Bird's 12 weeks of paid leave for adoption and up to $10,000 in adoption assistance.
Flexjobs.com listed Alston & Bird as one of the Best 100 Georgia Companies for Flexible Jobs for offering telecommuting, part-time, flextime and freelance jobs.
The company also was awarded the November 2015 American Heart Association's Fit Friendly Worksites Gold Award. Gold level requirements include offering employees physical activity support, increasing healthy eating options at work and promoting a wellness culture, according to the association.
Insiders agree. Alston & Bird employees put their company on The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Top 150 Workplaces in Atlanta 2016 list with positive employee surveys.
You can read what employees said about their company here.
One Atlantic Center, 1201 West Peachtree St., Suite 4900, Atlanta, Ga. 30309. 404-881-7000. www.alston.com
Corps Team was started in Marietta in 2005 as Mom Corps, a national staffing service focusing on finding nontraditional employment such as telecommuting, seasonal and project-based jobs for professionals.
The Moms Corps division offers weekly "hot job" emails, career webinars and career resource tools to help moms and dads return to work or remain in the workforce through flexible positions.
Corps Team, which encompasses Corps Advisory, Corps Search and Mom Corps, extends this flexibility to its own employees.
Time, location and duration are three key factors in work-life flexibility, according to mother of three and Corps Team CEO Allison O'Kelly.
"One of our core values is 'responsible flexibility' – we don't count hours or days; it's results that are important," O'Kelly wrote in an email.
Flexjobs.com listed Corps Team as one of the Best 100 Georgia Companies for Flexible Jobs.
1205 Johnson Ferry Road, Suite 136, Marietta, Ga., 30068. 888-438-8122. www.corpsteam.com
Turner Broadcasting made the 2015 Working Mother 100 Best Companies list for the 13th year. Accolades for Turner from Workingmother.com include having a 44 percent female workforce, with 44 percent of management also being women. The site also notes Turner's 10 weeks of paid leave for new moms and three for new dads, and 10 weeks for newly adoptive parents.
Turner also placed on the Dave Thomas Foundation's list of 100 Best Adoption-Friendly Workplaces at No. 30 for offering employees $10,000 reimbursemente.
Flexjobs.com listed Turner Broadcasting as one of the Best 100 Georgia Companies for Flexible Jobs.
Glassdoor.com ranked the company as one of the top 25 nationwide in 2011 for work-life balance. Turner lists employee benefits online as discounts on local cultural programs and events, onsite exercise facilities, childcare areas, a community garden and more.
One CNN Center, Atlanta, Ga. 30303. 404-827-1700. www.turner.com
WellStar Health System has won awards from several organizations for its work-life balance.
The 2015 Working Mother 100 Best Companies recognized WellStar for an 82 percent female workforce, with 69 percent of its management and executives being women.
The Dave Thomas Foundation's 2015 list of 100 Best Adoption-Friendly Workplaces lists WellStar as 44 for $10,000 in adoption reimbursement.
WellStar also offers employees job-protected leave for nine months while caring for an ill relative, an infant or newly adopted child. Other family benefits include two onsite day care facilities and subsidized backup care. The company offers compressed workweeks, job-sharing and daily flex hours, and a complimentary concierge service that even includes holiday present wrapping.
"At WellStar, we take care of the people who take care of our patients," said David Anderson, executive vice president of human resources and chief compliance officer. "With industry leading benefits and programs in place, we are putting our team members in a place where they can be successful at work and at home."
American Heart Association awarded WellStar its Fit Friendly Worksites Gold Award in 2015.
Locations throughout Georgia. 770-630-0106. www.wellstar.org.
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