WORCESTERSHIRE County Council is inviting the area's businesses to find out more about balancing home life with a career at a free conference next month.

The Celebration of Work Life Balance Conference is taking place at the Pear Tree Hotel in Smite, near Droitwich, on Tuesday, July 10.

The event is available to all organisations across Worcestershire.

Those invited are managers, HR professionals, owner-managers, chief executives and anyone with an interest in work life balance or a desire to change the way in which their organisation currently works to see benefits to their staff, their customers and their business. There will be innovative workshops and expert keynote speakers, plus the opportunity to share in the successes of some local organisations to see how successful policies, such as flexible working, have been implemented.

Jo Randall, employer liaison officer for the county council, said: "Work-life balance makes good business sense for the organisation, the employee and the customer.

"It's a question of changing the way we work to be smarter, not harder.

"With an ageing workforce, more people with caring responsibilities and increased sickness and absence through stress-related illness, employers are finding it increasingly difficult to recruit and retain high quality staff.

"Work-life balance policies can enhance employer brand' and really have an effect on bottom line profits."

There are a limited amount of spaces available and places must be booked in advance by June 18.

The conference runs from 9.30am until 4.30pm.

Companies that wish to book a place on the conference or register their interest in the toolkitcan do so by calling the Family Information Service on 01905 790557 or by e-mailing familyinfo@worcestershire.gov.uk.