IGS Energy’s Post

Have you heard @innocent drinks’ recent announcements about parents? Having listened to the insight from their PEARent's and Carer's Affinity Group, innocent has shared what they’re doing to ensure the parents working for them are well supported, including: - Surrogacy and adoption leave - 8 days of leave for every fertility treatment cycle - All parents can take up to 52 weeks off (with the first 16 weeks fully paid) 👏 They also have a thoughtful and supportive approach for returning to work: - A staggered return starting with doing 80% of your work during the first two weeks and 90% the following two weeks – both at full pay - Being assigned a buddy and being included in company updates - Becoming part of the PEARent’s and Carers group for advice and support - Flexible working to accommodate school pick-ups and drop-offs, illness, and important school events like plays and sports days As a mum to 3 young children and someone who runs workshops that support women returning to work from maternity leave, I know it can be tough in a number of ways, so I really welcome innocent’s efforts in making the return to work as easy as possible too. If you’re thinking about how you approach parental leave in your workplace there are plenty of good things to draw from here, including the inclusive language and understanding that people become parents in different ways and the decision to go further than the statutory entitlements. The more you support the people in your organisation as they go through every stage in their lives, the more content your workforce will be. Embedding this approach in your policies shows both prospective and current employees that you’re serious about these values and that you’re a great company for them to work for. #ParentalLeave #Inclusivity #Policy #EmploymentLaw

You are not alone. You are so much more than your achievements. We recognize and appreciate the importance of mental health and well-being, and support each other in achieving personal mental health and well-being goals. A few of the ways we are creating space for our people to prioritize their mental health and well-being are: 🔹 Continuing to provide hybrid work arrangements for most roles 🔹 Providing a minimum of 4 weeks of vacation for any new hire, 5 weeks upon the 7- year work anniversary, 6 weeks after 15 years + 10 personal days per year 🔹 Supporting the desire to grow a family with fertility, adoption, or surrogacy coverage 🔹Giving families the time they need to welcome new additions with 24 weeks parental leave top up at 100%, and 4 weeks of paid child-bonding leave for secondary caregivers 🔹 Providing extended health-, dental- (including orthodontics), and counselling coverage, as well as a well-being account to be used for various expenses 🔹 Hosting quarterly social events and activities so we can get to know each other beyond the urgent email 🔹 Offering in-house continuous training and education opportunities to support each other in our work #KoffmanKalef #MentalHealth

The journey to parenthood is rarely a straight line. It's a path paved with exhilarating highs and unexpected lows, unique to each one. We at Google recognize this spectrum. That is why we are proud to launch our Enhanced Family Building Benefits-one that can be tailored to every individual, irrespective of stage of life, gender, sexual orientation, or family structure. With this program, we go beyond offering  Financial support, truly partnering by: - Walking alongside our Googlers as they  navigate the unknown - From pre-conception advice (incl. cycle tracking, understanding conception options) to exploring  fertility options (fertility preservation, IUI, IVF etc.)  - Connecting Googlers with industry-leading experts for second opinions, adoption or surrogacy support, and mental wellbeing throughout their journey - Being there in moments that matter - Enabling Googlers and their partners in their postnatal parenthood journey (e.g. support for birthing, post-partum, feeding etc) Over the years, I've had the privilege of hearing colleagues and friends share their experiences of embracing parenthood. These stories have deepened my belief that organizations have a vital role as supportive partners along the way.  Here's to everyone navigating this path and making it look effortless – you're an inspiration! To those who are steering through against all odds, you've got this! ❤️  #FamilyBuilding #GoogleIndia #Inclusion #Benefits #LifeAtGoogle #Belonging #Diversity Roma Datta Chobey Arijit Sarker Namrata Pareek Uberoi Nishant Furtado

One of the aspects that I've found most amazing about working for Google is the basket of employee benefits that are deliberate in their design, delightful in their experience and diverse in their coverage. Pretty much every conceivable cohort of employees has a customized benefit that fits the need that is relevant to their stage of life. Very proud of my colleague Shraddha and the awesome #People team at Google #India for adding to the cornucopia of benefits that I and my colleagues at Google enjoy, by bringing in a very progressive and comprehensive suite of benefits to aid the journey of Family Building. Check out Shraddhanjali Rao's post below that outlines a benefit that will hopefully become the norm in all companies that share an ethos of deep concern for employee wellbeing!

The way Canadian parents spend time with their families is changing. Here's what you need to know: Extended Parental Benefits: Starting in 2024, adoptive parents and those using surrogacy can access an additional 15 weeks of parental benefits. This change allows more families to bond during those crucial early months. Working Parents on the Rise: With 70% of mothers with children under 6 now in the workforce, parents are seeking creative ways to balance career and family time. Digital-First Parenting: New Canadian parents are leveraging technology for everything from tracking baby milestones to connecting with other parents online. Focus on Mental Health: There's an increasing emphasis on parental mental health, with more families prioritizing self-care and seeking support. Outdoor Family Time: Despite busy schedules, many new Canadian parents are making a conscious effort to spend quality time outdoors with their little ones. Shared Parental Responsibilities: We're seeing a trend towards more equitable division of childcare duties between partners.For businesses targeting this demographic, it's crucial to understand these evolving dynamics. Products and services that support work-life balance, promote family bonding, and leverage technology are likely to resonate with new Canadian parents. How is your business adapting to meet the needs of new parents? 

I appreciate the initiative of phased returns from parental leave – it’s a significant support for new parents. However, in practice, the workload often remains unchanged, which can lead to longer hours or increased stress about meeting stakeholder expectations. To truly enhance this benefit, we need to consider: - Are tasks redistributed or deprioritised? - Are expectations temporarily adjusted? - Is there training for managers to offer better support? Implementing these measures can improve support for employees during their transition back to work. Thoughts? 💭

Life Friendly Leadership. Expectancy, parental leave and return to work. This session with Emma Sheppard Sheppard and The MTPT Project was brilliant! I wish I'd known about some of this before! Reflecting on Session 2, we explored: ✅ The inclusion of fathers and non-birthing partners ✅ Experiences of adoption and surrogacy ✅ Challenges with fertility treatment When people are considering starting a family, how many leave before leave? 🤔 🏡 Start thinking about relocation. 🏫 Will the school culture be accepting of the time needed for fertility treatments or adoption appointments? 🕒 Is flexible working an option after extending their family? How do school policies and systems support partners in this journey? Is their leave paid for attending appointments? Often, it's not. 🤷♂️ What's the hidden message about having a family, if they're not included? 💭 Systems and policies are one thing, but how can we all ensure that our approach supports people with starting families? Educators are often people pleasers and are strongly aligned with their moral compass of helping children, so can often neglect their own needs when starting a family. We need to ensure a culture that supports this important part of their lives. This, in turn, will lead to happier and more loyal staff, with an increase in retention. 🌟

43% of working parents give their employers benefit plans a grade of "C" or lower. Nearly three-quarters of respondents said they would leave their job for another with family benefits that better fit their needs. Family Benefits to take into consideration in 2024: -IVF/IUI -Parental Loss Leave (10-20% of pregnancies end in miscarriage) -Child Care Support -Adoption, Foster and Surrogacy support -Flexibility Policies -Maternity Management Care -Mental Health/EAP https://lnkd.in/eDGYHEZq  

Our careers and lives are meshing more than ever. In this episode of Every Step Judith Beck and I talk about: * Kids "killing" careers and the decision some women and couples are making to not have children at all. Whilst some have decided not to have children, we read a post on LinkedIn yesterday where a senior Google executive announced Google employees in certain parts of the world will "get reimbursed" for a range of "family building" activities including egg freezing and surrogacy. Interesting new policy especially since the costs associated with these can be super expensive! * Career cushioning - What is it and what is your career Plan B? * The troubling state of startup Founder mental health Head to your favourite listening platform to access this and other episodes. #kidsvscareer #everysteppodcast #foundermentalhealth #careercushioning

At Google, we want to help everyone live their best lives, and for us, that effort starts at home. With benefits that encourage and support a range of activities and personal life choices, it’s extremely important that Googlers find in Google a place that supports their life ambitions.  This also includes building and growing their families. Today, we’ve announced an expansion of family-building benefits for every #Googler in #India considering parenthood. Irrespective of a Googler’s stage of life, gender, or sexual orientation, or how they choose to build and structure their families, they will receive support from #Google. Wherever they are in their journey - whether they’re thinking about starting a family, growing their family, or navigating the unique challenges of parenthood, Google will provide a range of assistance - from financial support for fertility treatments, adoption and surrogacy, to access to expert care, coaching and advice for their own and their family’s wellbeing. We want to support every Googler in being their most authentic selves as they build the present and future of their dreams, whatever those may be, and today’s announcement is one more step in that commitment. #GoogleIndia #Inclusion #Benefits #LifeAtGoogle #Community Shraddhanjali Rao Namrata Pareek Uberoi Arijit Sarker