Working Mother magazine releases list of 100 best employers for moms

NEW YORK (AP) _ For companies trying to navigate a rocky economy, conventional business wisdom might dictate a no- or low-frills workplace. <br><br>But that's not the case at firms lauded in the October

Tuesday, September 24th 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

NEW YORK (AP) _ For companies trying to navigate a rocky economy, conventional business wisdom might dictate a no- or low-frills workplace.

But that's not the case at firms lauded in the October issue of Working Mother Magazine, which lists the results of its annual search for the 100 companies that treat working mothers best.

The magazine developed its list this year by focusing on companies that have not scaled back benefits because of the harsher economic climate, those that allow fathers to use family leave and employers who emphasize flexible scheduling. The businesses have found that helping parents find a balance between their careers and home life can pay handsome dividends, the magazine said.

``The highest cost that you have in the people area is turnover,'' said Steve Sanger, chairman and chief executive of Minnesota-based food maker General Mills Inc., which offers employees company-based infant care, a fitness center, prescription-filling and medical services.

``All these are things that just try to take the hassle out of people's lives,'' he said. ``They end up being things that all employees value.''

Hundreds of companies completed what Carol Evans, chief executive of Working Mother Media, called a rigorous application process to be considered for the list, drawn up by editors. Each firm was evaluated on what programs were available to working mothers and how many use them.

The top 10 employers cited by the magazine were: Abbott Laboratories, American Express, Bank of America, Booz Allen Hamilton, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Colgate-Palmolive, Computer Associates, Fannie Mae, General Mills and IBM, which has made the list for 17 years, longer than any other company.