ARUP's child-care center eases stress on employees

At ARUP Laboratories' new child care center, just shy of 90 kids — ages 6 weeks to 5 years — spend the day at play, a few steps away from their parents' work.

The newly completed center, a 6,000-square-foot on-site facility that includes an outdoor playground, nursery, toddler room and a full kitchen to provide hot meals, is one of the reasons ARUP again was made a winner of the state's Work/Life Awards. The awards honor companies that create "exceptional workplaces and businesses by effectively addressing employee work/life needs."

"These companies are leaders in Utah," said Lynette Rasmussen, director of the Office of Work & Family Life at the Utah Department of Workforce Services. "They set the example."

More than 2,000 people work at ARUP Laboratories, of which 60 percent are female, according to human resources manager Tom Topik. The average age of female employees is 35, Topik said. So child care was an issue.

"The stress of child care is huge," he said. "Our employees now know that they can bring their kids to work and that it's safe. Their kids are nearby, so they can stop by and see them on break and spend time with them."

Which, according to Topik, makes providing child care more than a perk for ARUP workers. It's also smart for the company's bottom line.

"It helps to alleviate the stress and makes our employees more productive and reduces absenteeism," Topik said.

In addition, he said, fostering a balance between work and life allows ARUP to hire better applicants and retain current employees.

"We're able to increase our recruiting efforts, reduce turnover and create a culture where employees know that there's a balance between work and life," Topik said. "We know that that's a goal, and we're working to make that a realization."

And the word is getting around, according to Rasmussen.

"It's great to see how this award is furthering the conversation about exceptional workplaces in Utah," Rasmussen said. "We've got past and present winners working together to share best practices and improve the daily lives of thousands of Utahns."

Deanna Lemke, a graphic designer at ARUP, wrote in a statement how the child-care facility has impacted her.

"I feel much more comfortable knowing that my baby girl is in the same building with me and that I can visit and check on her whenever I need to," Lemke wrote. "I drop her off when I arrive and pick her up on the way out."

Other ARUP employee benefits include medical/dental coverage, a 24-hour on-site wellness center and a free on-site health clinic.

The 2007 Work/Life Awards Celebration will be April 5 at the Sheraton City Centre in Salt Lake City. For more information or to register, go online to www.jobs.utah.gov/jsp/occ/worklife/celebration.do.

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