Balance of work and private life

Private living conditions may lead to particular pressure or requirement situations in employees that may reduce their commitment and performance. In these situations, we try to develop individual options to solve these problems jointly with the persons concerned. After all, we aspire towards an organisational culture that is oriented towards families and life phases. The BfS thus remains an attractive employer for our employees.

We offer the following instruments:

• Flexitime
• Part-time work
• Telework/mobile working
• Temporary leaves
• Parent/child workroom
• Family service as free-of-charge advisory and placement service relating to childcare and the care for relatives in need of care
• Social counselling for problems in the private and professional environment
• High flexibility and unconventional help in emergency situations
• Gradual retirement (e.g. semi-retirement)
• Priority of parents of minor and school-age children in terms of holiday planning
• Opportunities for further education during parental leave or, respectively, during a leave of absence
• Bearing childcare expenses in certain cases during training periods of the parents.

Career and family audit certificate

An optimal work-life balance is a major concern for the Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS). That's why we have had ourselves certified for the first time in 2022 via the Career and Family Audit in order to further take advantage of the existing possibilities of a family-conscious personnel policy. To this end, new, needs-based and future-oriented services are to be established and existing ones expanded.

For example, various working models (such as part-time, flexible working hours, or teleworking/mobile working) have been established. Remote working solutions are used by many employees and will now be a permanent part of the working culture at the BfS. It is now also possible to take children to work and look after them in the parent–child office.

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Parent/child workroom

Parent/child workrooms are available in the BfS branch offices in Salzgitter and Berlin. They are equipped with office desk and computer workplace and also with baby-changing facility, travel cot and toys for the children. So, should regular childcare not be possible temporarily or should the child be slightly ill, parents can take their children to their workplace and take care of them.

In the Neuherberg office, a mobile nappy-changing facility, a travel bed and toys are available. If needed, these can be taken into the office, so that children can be taken care of at one’s own workplace.

In all branch offices children can be taken care of at the workplace temporarily.

Advisory and placement service

All BfS employees have an advisory and placement service at their disposal. This service deals with all issues concerning childcare and care of family members who require nursing.

In an internet portal questions are answered and basic information is provided. Should there be a special need for advice, the service team can be contacted anonymously.