Family Friendly New Mexico (FFNM) is a non-profit initiative that works to improve the economic well-being of low-income families and their children by incentivizing and supporting New Mexico businesses to adopt family friendly policies and procedures. FFNM is a project of the 501c3 organization Center of Southwest Culture.
What started as a reaction to a high-pressure job and the demands of raising a young
family, has led to a non-profit that has been key to changing the landscape for families
across the state. Family Friendly New Mexico was the brainchild of its founder and
Board Chair Giovanna Rossi, when she was dealing with an executive position in the
Governor Bill Richardson administration where she was charged with developing
policies for women and families all while starting her own family.
“This was very personal to me,” she explained. “I was tasked with finding solutions to
addressing economic security for women and families, as I was facing those very same
issues in my professional and family life.”
Ten years ago, the business landscape and family-friendly policies looked a lot different
than they do today. Rossi likes to think her organization’s work has been a catalyst for
this.
“A decade ago, it was much harder to have conversations with employers about family
friendly policies,” she said. “Fast forward to today, and business leaders understand the
benefits to their business. Family-friendly policies lead to higher productivity, less
turnover, and less burnout. It’s a win win.”
Some of the shifts Rossi has seen in the New Mexico business landscape:
Flexible work schedules
Work-from-home and hybrid work
Parental leave
More focus on health and well-being
Behavioral health benefits
Medicaid expansion covering post-partum behavioral health
Governor Lujan Grisham created free childcare for state employees
Free Pre-K childcare services
When Family Friendly New Mexico began its awards recognition program 10 years ago,
eight businesses applied. In 2024, there were 260 applicants from all over the state
representing small business, hospitality, education, healthcare, government entities,
construction, and non-profits.
“It’s been so inspiring to see the innovative ways organizations support their
employees,” Rossi added. “An example is a small insurance agency in Gallup. They
provide employees with paid time off to sit on community boards, because the owner
knows that it helps with overall employee satisfaction while making a difference in the
community.”
Looking ahead to the next decade, Rossi anticipates workplace policies becoming an
even more important tool in employee recruitment and retention. She also anticipates
more focus on childcare as millennials begin to have families.
“Something we’re beginning to see that will only expand in the next decade is the use of
AI as it pertains to helping employees be more present at work, streamlining family life
and workflow, and helping people with overall success in work and life,” she said.
“Generation Z and the younger generations have expectations of how they want to
work. We are seeing it now, and it’s going to become a major focus as organizations
provide more flexibility and support for families.”
This year’s Family Friendly New Mexico awards opens on October 10 th . Rossi
encourages all employees to ask their employers to apply. The application is at:
https://nmfamilyfriendlybusiness.org/apply-now/