Kimberly Barr, Bronson's environment of care specialist, has always maintained that Bronson’s flexibility has allowed her to do her job so well. “Bronson gives me the tools and flexibility I need to do my job and be a parent; and because of it I am willing to work harder,” she says.

While many parents worry that spending time at work may take away from their ability to be a good parent, Kim believes her job makes her a better wife and mother because it gives her the opportunity to feel valued as a professional. Kim absolutely loves her job and her enthusiasm is infectious to the dozens of Bronson employees she interacts with each week; her enthusiasm is also reflected in work within her community.

Several years ago Kim’s father passed away from cancer. She created a yearly memorial in honor of his memory, which, typical of her character, benefits her own community at the same time. Each year, friends and family, along with many Bronson employees, play in a golf outing to raise money in her father’s name. All told, Kim has raised $4,800 in donations to the Kalamazoo Nature Center. This money has provided scholarships for many local schoolchildren to attend the Nature Center summer camp.

Kim has also puts her organizational skills to use supporting the Kalamazoo Institute Turn 2, which was created by Derek Jeter to promote healthy lifestyles among youth. She also donates time to her children’s Little League association and her neighborhood’s co-op preschool.

Kim exhibits the work life balance that most of us strive to achieve. Each and every day she demonstrates how proud she is to be part of the Bronson team.

Creating family-friendly initiatives is a big priority for this health-care system. Parents are grateful for its on-site prenatal courses, lactation programs, baby and toddler play groups and classes for older siblings. They save money by using its pretax dependent-care account, including an annual $500 match. And their little ones can go to the Bronson Athletic Club, which offers babysitting and allows anyone over age 6 to splash about in its pool. (Tweens and teens sign up for its fitness challenges and dance classes.) If parents need an extra hand, they can contact the system’s concierge program or use its subsidized backup care, available 20 days per year, on average. The first mom-to-mom sale, in April 2010, found them scoring extra cash by selling their kids’ castoffs.

President & CEO Frank Sardone

VP & Chief HR Officer John Hayden

Women managers/execs 78% 

Women among top earners 68% 

Women hires in 2010 79% 

Average weeks of fully paid maternity leave offered 2 

Allows new moms to “phase back” into work with reduced hours? Yes

Offers affinity group for new mothers? No

Offers backup childcare? Yes

Employees working flexibly 35%

92% of employees surveyed by Bronson Healthcare Group say that they are proud to work for the organization.

Despite the faltering economy, last year this Midwestern health-care system refused to cut benefits that help employee families. Because of that, moms can take six fully paid weeks off after the birth of a child and enjoy priority access and discounts at local day-care centers, plus 25 days of subsidized backup care annually. Adoptive parents are eligible for four fully paid weeks off and may receive up to $4,000 in assistance. While employees' teen children take advantage of the system's $1,500 college scholarships, their parents may reap $2,400 in tuition aid (on average) every year, which they can spend on job-related courses. Flex schedules are big: About 35% of employees compressed their hours and 5% job-shared last year. A new School at Work program pays entry-level staffers to attend on-site classes and prepare for clinical jobs.

President & CEO Frank Sardone

VP & Chief HR Officer John Hayden

Women managers, senior managers and corporate execs 78%

Women among top earners 71%

Women on board of directors 22%

Women corporate executive hires in 2009 N/A  

Women participating in management or leadership training in the past year* 8%

Women participating in formalized executive succession planning last year* N/A  

Women promoted last year who utilized a formal flexible work arrangement Not tracked  

Do formal compensation policies reward managers who help women advance? Yes

*Percentages reflect number of women participants versus company’s total female workforce.