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e-Work.com Inc. VP, Kate North was a Judge at this year's Work-Life Balance Award program

Constangy, Brooks & Smith, LLP Promotes Work-Life Balance With Annual Award
BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee wins for its focus on results and wide selection of programs
ATLANTA National labor and employment law firm Constangy, Brooks & Smith, LLP is awarding its 6th annual Excellence in Work-Life Balance Award to BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee. Constancy's program recognizes companies that actively initiate and create work environments conducive to work-life balance.

An independent panel of judges selected BlueCross BlueShield (BCBS) as this year's winner not only because of its diverse program options, but because of its inclusion of training programs and focus on measured results that show its program is working. The company provides an array of work-life balance initiatives, including compressed workweeks, flexible start times, job sharing and a comprehensive voluntary wellness program. Other initiatives include on-site chair massages, an on-site health clinic and a fitness center for employees.

According to research conducted by the Corporate Executive Board an outside research and consulting organization that included interviewing 50,000 global workers, employees who feel they have a better work-life balance tend to work 21% harder than those that don't. This alone makes work-life balance programs a win for both employers and employees, and when coupled with potential health plan and resource costs savings, it makes even more sense for employers to enact programs.

BCBS says that its telecommuting program helped its operations immensely during times of adverse weather conditions such as ice, flooding and tornadoes this year, noting that the telecommuting program was invaluable in allowing us to meet customer demands, even when office buildings were closed.

The tracked results of BCBS's program show that average employee tenure rose slightly to 9.31 years, up from 9.28 in 2008, even despite a 2009 hiring surge that temporarily dropped that figure. Additionally, 51 employees who telecommute have been promoted at least once since the start of the program in 2008, showing that employees are not negatively affected by their participation. An employee engagement survey showed that BCBS employees thought of the company as a great place to work and believe that the company is committed to supporting employee health and wellness.

My hat is off to all the great nominees for their commitment to helping their employees lead a balanced life," said Kate Lister, one of this year's judges and president of the Telework Research Network. What I particularly liked about BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee was that they'd formalized their flexibility policies, provided training to help employees overcome the obstacles to using them, and measured the results. It's one thing to offer flexibility options on an ad hoc or case by case basis. It's an altogether different thing to actively encourage their use."

It is apparent from its comprehensive program that BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee is committed to work-life balance, says Neil Wasser, Constangy chairman. Not only do they have a great program, but they have also taken the time to make sure that the program is doing what it is intended to do. Work-life balance programs, when well crafted, can truly benefit both employers and employees, creating a happier and more productive workforce. Since implementing our wellness program here at Constangy, we have also seen positive results as employees have taken advantage of the opportunities we offer.

In addition to the award, BCBS is also the recipient of a $1,000 sum to donate to the non-profit organization of its choice. The company has chosen Partnership for Families, Children and Adults in Chattanooga, Tenn.

We have spent several years developing a culture of wellness at BlueCross, said Karen Ward, senior vice president and chief human resources officer at BlueCross. Establishing work-life balance is an important part of overall wellness, so our offices, policies and programs are designed to support that balance.

As part of Constancy's Work-Life Balance Award program, SSOE Group an international architecture, engineering, and construction management firm—was awarded Honorable Mention for its superior overall efforts in work-life balance.

Judges for this year's Work-Life Balance Award program were Cynthia Thomas Calvert, principal of CT Calvert & Associates, a consulting firm focused on diversity and work-life balance programs; Kate Lister, president of the Telework Research Network; and Kate North, VP of Global Development for e-Work.com Inc.

For more information about work-life balance, visit www.constangy.com/WorkLife.html.

About BlueCross Blue Shield of Tennessee:

BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee's mission is to provide its customers and communities with peace of mind through affordable solutions for health and healing, life and living. Founded in 1945, the Chattanooga-based company is focused on reinventing the health plan for its 3 million members in Tennessee and across the country. Through its integrated health management approach, BlueCross provides patient-centric products and services that drive health improvement and positively impact health care quality and value. BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee Inc. is an independent licensee of the BlueCross BlueShield Association. For more information, visit the company's Web site at www.bcbst.com.

About Constangy, Brooks & Smith, LLP:
Constangy, Brooks & Smith, LLP has counseled employers on labor and employment law matters, exclusively, since 1946. A Go To Law Firm in Corporate Counsel and Fortune Magazine, it represents Fortune 500 corporations and small companies across the country. Its attorneys are consistently rated as top lawyers in their practice areas by sources such as Chambers USA, Martindale-Hubbell, and Top One Hundred Labor Attorneys in the United States, and the firm is top-ranked by the U.S. News & World Report/Best Lawyers Best Law Firms survey. More than 130 lawyers partner with clients to provide cost-effective legal services and sound preventive advice to enhance the employer-employee relationship. Offices are located in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Jersey, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and Wisconsin. For more information, visit www.constangy.com.

About Partnership for Families, Children and Adults:
Partnership is a community impact agency that has been empowering people to build better lives through counseling, crisis intervention, prevention and education programs for over 130 years. Last year, our services touched the lives of over 74,000 people in Tennessee, Georgia and Alabama. Partnership is a United Way Member Agency, a member of the Crittenton family of agencies, and is accredited by the National Council on Accreditation.

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