Addidat’s Post

The idea of a *completely equal parental leave* policy is something I’ve thought about (and talked about) for many years in various roles I’ve had. Implementing this policy at Addidat from Day 1 is something I’m incredibly proud of. Yes it will impact our cost base, yes it will mean statistically far more of the workforce take parental leave and yes it far exceeds what most global companies are offering, let alone SMEs like us. However it also means that from Day 1 I never even considered the increased ‘business risk’ of hiring women, from Day 1 I could explain to all male joiners that I want them to have the same opportunity to spend extended quality time with their children and from Day 1 it means we are building a business where we expect many of the team to take parental leave. We are building robust processes to cover parental leave, working on the assumption that ALL parents will then feel able and supported to return to work. It will just feel normal, equitable, fair. If that means we retain the incredibly talented team we are building at Addidat - the business case more than pays for itself.

Parental leave has emerged as a top priority for jobseekers 🧑🍼 According to our latest Flexible Working Index, more workers expressed a preference for enhanced parental leave in March (16% in total) than in any other month over the last year. And to be honest, we're not surprised 🤷 Amidst an unstable economy, a tightening labour market, and the rollback of some flexible working options, working parents are some of the people being hit the hardest. The UK's Statutory Maternity Pay is currently £184.03 per week, which is less than minimum wage. And Statutory Paternity Leave is just 2 weeks - and only for those who are actually eligible. A report by Centre for Progressive Policy, Pregnant Then Screwed, and Women in Data® found that fewer than one in five (18%) prospective parents say they or their partner could afford to take six weeks of paternity leave at the current statutory rate of pay. 👉 1 in 5 dads said that no parental leave options were available to them following the birth or adoption of their child 👉 Of those that were entitled to some leave, but returned to work early, 43% cited financial hardship as the reason for not taking their full entitlement 👉 63% of all recent fathers said they did not feel mentally ready to return to work when they did "Enhanced parental leave policies, for both parents, are so important. They support a family financially, encourage the bond between both parents and child, and aid the recovery after birth. Jobseekers are searching for companies offering these benefits to protect and support themselves if they choose to start a family." - Jodie Loftus, Flexible Working Advocate & EVP Consultant at Flexa ✨ And enhanced parental leave has its benefits for businesses too. Evidence shows that when new dads take parental leave, mums end up going back to work more easily, female employment is higher overall, and the gender pay gap is lower 💡 Countries with more than six weeks of paid paternity leave have a 4% smaller gender wage gap and 3.7% smaller labour force participation gap 💡 Closing gender employment gaps in all UK authorities would increase economic output by £23 billion It's clear that for companies looking to attract and retain top talent, offering enhanced parental leave and other family-friendly benefits is no longer a nice-to-have, but a must-have. A number of Flexified companies are already paving the way; Mars, WeTransfer, Virgin Media O2, and MONY Group plc to name a few 👏 By supporting workers through all stages of their lives and careers, employers can create a culture of trust, loyalty, and high performance. We discuss this topic further in this blog post: https://lnkd.in/eq-Yrn3S 📚 #FlexibleWorking #FutureOfWork #ParentalLeave #EVP

Long post warning, continued in the comments due to character limits. Today may be April 1st, but this post is no joke! I want to talk for a moment about why paid parental leave matters so much to me, EVEN as a proudly childfree by choice woman. Recently, I was meeting with a donor. This donor had been previously working with Chelsea Dean-Martinez Girls Empowerment Network's Development Director, who is currently on leave. When I got to share this happy news with the donor, he asked me quite pointedly "That parental leave is PAID, right?" because he, like our organization believe in this employee benefit. Sadly, getting this kind of benefit is far too rare in the US, especially among low income earners. When I googled the current rate, I learned that in 2023, 57 percent of private sector employees still did not have access to ANY short-term disability coverage or paid parental leave. In the few days that have passed since this donor asked me this question, I kept thinking about how I wanted to speak up and share more about why I am so proud that we offer this benefit to our employees. Firstly, to NOT offer paid leave is counter to our mission. At Girls Empowerment Network, we help girls discover they are powerful people so that they grow into unstoppable women. To me, this means we are honor bound to help our staff become just as unstoppable. That includes honoring the basic human need for parents to be with new infants, when families grow, so they can adjust to this awesome responsibility. But beyond this, all girls do not experience the concept of “power” equally. It can be impossible to discover your personal power if you do not have a supportive community around you, which uplifts you, or others to turn to in times of need. Too often, systems and societal barriers disempower young women by denying them opportunities to learn, achieve, and grow; by placing them in sexually violent or abusive environments; by denying them access to knowledge about how their bodies work; and by denying them real pathways to achieving their goals. Taking an organizational stance of being a part of the supportive community of the Girl Experts and nonprofit professionals we retain on our staff to do this work is our mission coming to life at the scale of the whole organization--not just for service recipients. Closely connected to this is that paid parental leave is one way to drive equity. Folks who come from low income backgrounds, those who are system-impacted, and those who have moved away from their families of origin or whose own parents are not living or are estranged do not enter into parenting with the same resources as those who have resources to hire additional support or who have supportive family close by. (Continued in comments...)

Do you know what impact equal parental leave has? 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗿𝘁: 𝗶𝘁'𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗗𝗮𝗱𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗳𝗶𝘁..... Deloitte anounced on Monday that it is introducing equal parental leave of 26 weeks fully paid family leave for new parents across it's organisation of c.457,000 people 💥 Great news to see such a massive global organisation moving forwards in this pace 👏, but what was interesting is the data they published along with the announcement. They conducted some research with youGov and found that.... 𝗡𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗲𝗻 (𝟴𝟳%) 𝘀𝗮𝗶𝗱 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝟴𝟱% 𝘀𝗮𝗶𝗱 𝗶𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗸𝗲𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝘂𝘁.... They also found that unequal partneting leave and inflexible work arrangements has a significant impact on working mothers' career progression: > 𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗳 𝗼𝗳 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀 (𝟱𝟰%) 𝘀𝗮𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿 (𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗲 𝗼𝗿 𝗳𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗲) 𝗵𝗮𝗱 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘃𝗲, 𝗶𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿. > An even higher number of working mothers (61%) say that if their partner (male or female) had more flexibility in their role, it would help them to progress. > 𝟱𝟳% 𝗼𝗳 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘀𝗮𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗰𝗼-𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁’𝘀 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗹𝗲𝘅𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆, 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗱𝗼𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝘂𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀 (𝟮𝟱%). The survey also shed light on challenges faced by any working parents, regardless of gender.... > 𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗮 𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘃𝗲 > 𝟲𝟳% 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘅𝗶𝗲𝘁𝘆 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗲 𝗯𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀. > Just over a quarter (28%) say they are not encouraged by their employer to take time off for family-related commitments. > 61% of respondents expressed a desire for more flexible work hours for new fathers, with 46% wanting hybrid working and 42% calling for a more supportive workplace culture. ❓What do you think folks? Is any of this a surprise? ………………………………………………………. I’m Vicki, the Founder of 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝗩𝗣 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝘆. I partner with organisations to create and activate powerful EVPs that attract and retain top talent 💥 Follow me for more insights like this and ring my bell to catch my posts 🛎️ 📞You can book a 𝗙𝗥𝗘𝗘 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗹 to explore how I could support your organisation here: https://t.ly/EVPdiscovery 📧 or you can DM me or email me at [email protected] #employerbranding #evp #gender #inclusion

Deloitte: paving the path to a promising future, one paternity leave at a time! The question on the tip of everyone’s tongue after Deloittes’ recent stir on the gender equality front… The Labour Party - 2 weeks paternity leave is an adequate amount of time for Fathers to bond with their newborns? The recent implementation of the ‘new equal family leave policy’, granting all parents 26 weeks of fully paid leave, is a groundbreaking advancement for gender equality. Despite the common ‘return to work’ initiative programmes for women, over half of mothers are reportedly forced to reduce their hours as a result of their co-parent’s workplace inflexibility. Community cohesion remains essential as without it, an organisations commitment to equal opportunities is like shouting into the wind - full of sound and carrying little impact. I commend Deloitte for taking this vital step in levelling the playing field for both women and men. In the UK, a company can reclaim 92% of statutory maternity pay. If the company qualifies for ‘small employers' relief’, they can reclaim the full 100%. Are reforms to parental leave on the horizon for the UK government? I remain optimistic and hopeful Keir Starmer. Aside from the politics, I’m glad to see the recognition of the 50/50 genetic contribution, especially for all the Deloitte Men who are soon to be Fathers in 2025. You deserve the opportunity to bond with your baby and support your partner equally. What other private sector companies will follow Deloitte’s progressive lead? https://lnkd.in/eYKP-Vh4

Let’s talk a little more about paternity leaves or may be family leaves!

What does longer paternity leave (entitlement for fathers-to-be) mean to you? Me? A step towards gender equality in the workplace. But not in the way you are thinking. :::::: I read an article by Straits Times featuring Novartis and their 16-week paid paternity leave. Not-withstanding how caregiver roles can be split equally (obviously fathers can’t breastfeed their kids, neither can they take the place of their wives to bear the child for 9months in their own bodies), This is definitely a welcomed change. An additional pair of hands, To deal with a highly-stressed point of time in the couple’s lives. ::::::: But today I am not talking about that. Instead, allow me to share a workplace story from my Finance lens. In 2022, my ex-company made a decision to extend paid maternity leave to 6 months. 👀 And along with it, Paid paternity leave as well. 🤯 6. Whole. Months. Every single employee expecting a child worldwide. . The next thing I knew, I had a couple of urgent calls from my manufacturing plant heads. “Jevon! SOS! Even the men in my team are going to be entitled to taking 6-months out of work. How am I going to plan my workforce?” “What kind of contingencies should we have in place? What spending risks to call out?” All very, very fair and logical questions. . We spent the next couple of weeks having honest conversations with soon-to-be-fathers and mothers about their out-of-office plans. Surprisingly to my plant heads, our employees were actually willing to be rational and “adult” about it. They discussed extensively about co-workers covering their absences, work that could be de-prioritized in the meantime, staggered parental leave among others. With the collective effort, we developed manpower plans that made sense for everyone. At no additional cost to the business. A win for the people. A win for the company. :::::: Through this all, I made an interesting observation. While the workplace is generally accepting of women being out-of-office for an extended period of time due to maternity, the extension of this entitlement to men created quite a stir. It made me reflect on perceived gender roles in the workplace, Are men’s roles seen as more critical, and their absence more impactful? While women are assumed to prioritize caregiving duties? It does then beg the question of whether the imbalanced “entitlements” could unintentionally affect the way career progression decisions are made. Promotions High profile projects Secondment opportunities etc. :::::: Which is why every time I read a story like that which evens out the entitlements and hence corporate playing field between men and women, I applaud it. Let’s strive towards creating a culture that helps remove unconscious biases in the workplace, So that everyone can be seen for their best potential and their best work. :::::: Would you be for or against a 4-month paternity leave? ——— I am Jevon, would love to hear your thoughts!

Jevon (Jiehan) Yang I’m hijacking your post to discuss another aspect of workforce and that is #humanresource and how we manage it. It is challenging to manage manpower issues when it comes to maternity and paternity leaves, paid or not. As challenging as it may be, it is always a good strategy to engage the parties involved to formulate the solutions. What’s the advantage of a horizontally implemented instead of a vertically imposed solution? * it is practical because the solution is crafted by the people who are executing it: by the people for the people. * it facilitates the taking of ownership through solution crafting: when people craft a solution, they get to own it. * it promotes trust between staff and management as there would be open sharing of problems and solutions: win-win situation. (See Jevon (Jiehan) Yang’s post below) Let us work toward ‘bettering’ our workplace synergy by changing our #perspective from thinking that only one method works. Redefine #inclusivity to mean inclusion of opinions, ideas and solutions from every level of our organisation.

In mid September Deloitte announced they were introducing equal paid parental leave for both parents - full pay for 26 weeks for each parent 🤯 Now this isn't new, and Deloitte aren't the first, but this is by no means common place. It should be though, and here is why..... 👍It helps foster gender equality👍 When both parents receive the same leave, we break down traditional gender roles and expectations. This enables both partners to share caregiving responsibilities equally and promotes gender equity at home and at work. 🌻It supports career growth for all🌻 Equal parental leave encourages women to continue their career trajectories without the often seen disadvantages linked to extended maternity leave. It also empowers men to take time away without any ridiculous stigma that caregiving is “not for dads.” This builds a culture where everyone can succeed professionally and personally, as you can imagine this is seen as important to reducing the gender pay gap. 😁It increases loyalty and retention😁 Companies that provide equalised parental leave demonstrate commitment to employee wellbeing, significantly boosting retention and loyalty. Employees who feel supported during major life events are more likely to remain engaged and motivated in the long term. 🧲It makes companies more attractive to top talent🧲 Today’s workers value policies and workplaces that are inclusive, and equal parental leave has become a highly sought after benefit. By offering this, we attract talented individuals who prioritise both career and family, making workplaces more diverse. Deloitte’s approach highlights how empowering parents is not only the right thing to do—it’s also smart business. Fancy #MakingWorkplacesBetter ? #FamilyLeave #HR #DiversityandInclusion #EqualOpportunity #FutureofWork https://lnkd.in/eyzjMvpy

Men Can Champion Women's Careers by Taking Paternity Leave! During my recent talk at the Sterling Bank Momship Program, a fantastic question was asked by a man: how can men support women's growth at home and work? Here's a powerful strategy that often flies under the radar: take paternity leave! Paternity leave empowers fathers to be active caregivers from day one. This significantly reduces the burden on mothers, who often handle a larger share of childcare. With less burnout during maternity leave, moms can return to work feeling refreshed and ready to hit the ground running. Why is this crucial? Many moms are exhausted by maternity leave, making returning to work seem overwhelming. This, unfortunately, leads to a high number of women leaving the workforce after childbirth. A McKinsey & Company & study with Lean In found that over 25% of women in corporate America consider downshifting or leaving entirely. However, the study also revealed something incredible: when fathers take leave, mothers are more likely to return to work sooner and experience less career disruption. This translates to women retaining jobs and even narrowing the gender pay gap over time. But the benefits extend beyond career gains. The same McKinsey study found that 90% of dads who took leave reported a stronger relationship with their partners. One woman who participated in the study said, “I think I would have resented him if he had been at work and I would have had to do all of this alone,” To many women, It was less about dividing household tasks and more about providing emotional support and being present during early, challenging days of baby care. It's time to normalize paternity leave! More companies need to implement policies and a work culture that encourages fathers to take advantage of this crucial benefit. Kudos to those already leading the way in Nigeria, like public sector employees in Lagos and Enugu with their 2-week minimum (though we know there's room for improvement!). In essence, taking paternity leave is a win-win for families, companies, and gender equality. It's a simple yet powerful way men can be strong supporters of women's career growth, both at home and in the workplace. Does your company have a paternity leave policy? Please tell me about it in the comment section. Thank you!