CHICAGO – Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP is pleased to announce that for the fourth consecutive year, it has been recognized among the nation’s 100 Best Companies by Working Mother magazine for its unwavering commitment to creating and maintaining a family-friendly workplace. Katten is one of only a handful of law firms nationwide to be included on Working Mother’s 2010 100 Best Companies list, which will be available along with profiles and national comparisons in the October issue of Working Mother and at www.workingmother.com.
Katten is recognized for pioneering programs that support families, providing benefits that include flextime, on-site lactation rooms, telecommuting opportunities, job-sharing and wellness programs. Many of the companies featured, including Katten, provide financial assistance through programs like retirement planning and pre-tax flexible spending accounts for childcare.
“Twenty-five years ago, we made a bold decision to launch our Best Companies initiative and challenge businesses to address the unique needs of working mothers,” said Carol Evans, president of Working Mother Media. “The immense influx of women into the workforce demanded changes in workplace culture as companies strove to keep working moms’ talent and loyalty. Today, we celebrate our winners’ untiring commitment to their employees through an impressive array of programs.”
While the Working Mother 100 Best Companies continue expanding their benefits, many companies nationwide lag behind. According to a study by the Society of Human Resource Management, only 44 percent of American companies offer telecommuting – compared with 100 percent of the 100 Best; 17 percent offer formal mentoring – versus 95 percent of the 100 Best; and 37 percent offer health insurance for part-timers – while 100 percent of the 100 Best provide coverage.
Despite a challenging economic climate, the Working Mother 100 Best Companies employ creative programs that help employees in all areas of their lives. At Katten, the Women’s Leadership Forum (WLF) drives the firm’s commitment to the development, retention and advancement of women, and provides a forum for its women attorneys to discuss issues and share information. The WLF has been instrumental in organizing firmwide training in areas such as business development and networking, and in forming mentoring groups to improve communication among women attorneys within the firm. It hosts regular internal events and roundtable sessions to discuss specific issues that impact women in the legal workplace today, including leveraging a professional presence, balancing work and life, achieving financial wellness, and unleashing the power of personality for more success. Outside of the firm, the WLF has joined with several organizations that support and value the advancement of women to sponsor key events.
Celebrating its 25th anniversary, the Working Mother 100 Best Companies program draws attention to the significant contributions working mothers make to industries and the companies that recognize the importance of tapping this essential labor pool.
Methodology: Companies were selected for the Working Mother 100 Best Companies based on an extensive application with more than 600 questions on workforce, compensation, childcare, flexibility programs, leave policies and more. It also surveys the usage, availability and tracking of programs, as well as the accountability of managers who oversee them. Seven areas were measured and scored: workforce profile, benefits, women’s issues and advancement, child care, flexible work, parental leave and company culture. For this year’s 100 Best, particular weight was given to benefits, flexibility and parental leave.
