NEW ORLEANS — The Louisiana Public Health Institute (LPHI) has earned the National Best Place for Working Parents® designation. The Louisiana Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives and the Louisiana Policy Institute for Children have partnered to launch The Best Place for Working Parents® Louisiana, joining the national network that recognizes employers with family-friendly policies.
The Best Place for Working Parents® Designation highlights how the Louisiana Public Health Institute is implementing innovative practices that are helping today’s working parents provide for their families and adapt and thrive at work during extraordinary times. The Best Place for Working Parents® assessment highlights only the top 10 research-backed policies proven to benefit working parents AND businesses’ bottom line.
“At LPHI, we care deeply about our employees and want them to feel supported in every part of their lives,” said Shelina Davis, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Louisiana Public Health Institute. “Many of our team members are parents and caregivers, and we know the value of having a workplace that understands and supports those responsibilities. We’re proud to be named a Best Place for Working Parents and to foster a culture where our employees and their families can thrive.”
The Louisiana Public Health Institute is honored to join the National Network of Best Place for Working Parents® businesses that support their working parents and caregivers. By bringing The Best Place for Working Parents to Louisiana, organizations can attract and retain top talent, demonstrate their commitment to working families, and help build a stronger, more competitive workforce across the state.
“Supporting working parents is also an investment in the health of Louisiana,” said Dr. Libbie Sonnier, Chief Executive Officer of the Louisiana Policy Institute for Children. “When families have the support they need to balance work and caregiving, parents are better positioned to thrive, children benefit from greater stability, and communities are stronger. We’re proud to recognize LPHI for its leadership in creating a workplace that supports the well-being of employees and their families.”
While family-friendly policies have a direct impact on working parents, local and national research proves that there is also a serious business case to being family-friendly:
- Employees with family care benefits report 45% higher productivity and 40% lower absenteeism.[1]
- Parental absences cost Louisiana businesses $762 million annually from missed work, turnover, and other related costs.
- The total impact of parental absences on the Louisiana economy is $1.3 billion annually.[2]
- Child care enables parents to work. More than 70% of parents could not work without a reliable child care arrangement for their children.
- Even with their current child care arrangements in place, many parents still lack the care they need throughout the workday. Most parents had to take at least one day off of work in the last three months due to a child care disruption.[3]
The Best Place for Working Parents® online self-assessment provides a real-time dashboard of how a business fares against other businesses of like size and industry across each of the top 10 family-friendly practices in their region. Each of the top 10 policies include research on their business ROI and case studies that tell the story of how local businesses’ practices have impacted their productivity, retention, job satisfaction and attraction. The 3-minute self-assessment, real-time dashboard results, and the Best Place for Working Parents® designation for qualifying businesses can be accessed at business.bestplace4workingparents.com.
ABOUT The Best Place for Working Parents®
The Best Place for Working Parents® is a growing national network of business leaders proving that family-friendly IS business-friendly. Originating in Fort Worth, Texas, The Best Place for Working Parents® seeks to support businesses with research-backed strategies that benefit working parents AND businesses’ bottom line. Learn more at https://bestplace4workingparents.com/louisiana/ and www.bestplace4workingparents.com.
About Louisiana Policy Institute for Children: Louisiana Policy Institute for Children is a 501(c)(3) nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring that Louisiana’s young children, from birth to age four, are best prepared for success in school and in life. The Policy Institute develops policy proposals informed by data, research, best practices, and the experiences of other states to improve the outcomes of Louisiana’s youngest citizens, and further provides educational and outreach activities based on recommended policy solutions. The organization works to ensure children are safe, healthy, and have the opportunity to reach their full potential. For more information, visit www.policyinstitutela.org and follow the Louisiana Policy Institute for Children on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
ABOUT the Louisiana Public Health Institute
The Louisiana Public Health Institute is a statewide nonprofit organization with a mission to lead and partner with communities to ensure that everyone has fair and just opportunities to be healthy and well. For more information, visit lphi.org.
[1] Care for Business. (2025). 2025 Future of Benefits Report: Combatting the employee burnout crisis. Available online at https://www.care.com/business/reports/2025-future-of-benefits-report/?utm_source=cfb_ws&utm_medium=M-PRS&utm_campaign=CFB_US_C-PRS_PRA_P-OTH_B2B_V-PRO_ACQ_TOF_T-DOW_L-ENG_28___FutureOfBenefits2025.
[2] Kathleen Babineaux Blanco Public Policy Center. (2021). Blanco Center Policy Brief: Child Care and the Economy in Louisiana. Available online at https://policyinstitutela.org/research/child-care-and-the-economy-in-louisiana/.
[3] Louisiana Policy Institute for Children. (2024). Caught in the Middle: Louisiana Parents Work, and the Struggle for Affordable Child Care. Available online at https://policyinstitutela.org/research/caught-in-the-middle-louisiana-parents-work-and-struggle-for-affordablechild-care-full-report/