A big push for baby pay

Deloitte is doubling paid leave from two to four weeks for any of the firm’s non-birthing parents.

Commonly known as ‘paternity leave’, Deloitte recognises the positive impact this leave has on the emotional and physical wellbeing of both children and parents. The change in policy further reinforces a culture of supporting working parents.

Dimple Agarwal, managing partner for People & Purpose, said: “We’ve listened to feedback and understand that an increasing number of non-birthing parents want the opportunity to be able to play a more active parenting role – both in those first weeks and longer term. However, take-up numbers for this leave are disappointingly low and we are very keen to change this.

“Our recent research with DaddiLife, the UK's leading platform and community for millennial dads, surveyed more than 2,000 working fathers between the ages of 24 and 40. We found that more dads than ever (58%) are now actively involved in day-to-day parenting. But their employers don’t always make it easy for them.

“This promise to our Deloitte families is all part of our commitment to inclusion, where we are creating an environment of respect, dignity and belonging for all. What’s more, we’ve increased flexibility as to when and how this leave can be taken as we recognise that when it comes to family commitments, one size doesn’t fit all.”

The new parenting policy will commence on 1 October 2019 for all Deloitte employees with 26 weeks or more continuous service with Deloitte. Any father, same sex spouse or partner, civil partner or adopter will be encouraged to take the additional leave. The leave can be taken in two blocks, one within the first 56 days of the birth and a second block anytime within the baby’s first year.

Deloitte also offers enhanced pay for shared parental leave with more than 200 people benefiting since it was introduced in 2015. It offers greater flexibility over how, when and who takes time off after a birth or adoption. It allows parents to share up to 50 weeks of leave choosing how to split the leave, enabling them both to have a greater involvement in their child's early years.

Deloitte is proud to be an employer of choice for working families, having been recognised as a Working Families Top 10 Employer for the past eight years.

Agarwal added: “As we strive to improve gender diversity, both in our firm and society more broadly, we recognise a key reason why we have lacked women in senior roles is attrition at manager and senior manager grade when they typically start a family. Having seen a decline in our own female attrition in the last four years, we can further help women’s career progression by focusing on the support for the other parent.”

Case Studies

Emma Johnston – parent-to-be
Emma Johnston is an assistant director in the transaction services team based in Deloitte’s Birmingham office.

Emma and her wife, Jane, are expecting their first child this year with Jane due to give birth in October and both are naturally very excited. Emma is looking forward to now taking additional paid leave as well as shared parental leave.

Emma said: “Preparing for our first child is both exciting and daunting, but one thing I am not worried about is Deloitte enabling me to take some important time at home. I have been encouraged to take this additional leave in full. The senior leadership of the firm has emphasised the importance Deloitte has placed on the role of both parents and I was surprised to hear how few take leave after the birth of a child.

“I had already planned to take shared parental leave throughout our baby’s first year, but to now have four weeks paid leave in addition is really valuable.”

Emma added: “To have an employer that trusts and respects me is really important. I have found the process very smooth and feel reassured that once our baby is born, the culture at Deloitte will continue to support me and my family in the next chapter of our lives.”

Ed Greig – shared parental leave
Ed Greig is our Chief Disruptor. He took four months of shared parental leave between June and October 2018, immediately after the birth of son Osip (Oz for short).

During that time – with his wife also off work – Ed built a special bond with Oz. He occasionally checked in with his team, but otherwise had his projects covered while he was out of the office.

“It was easily the best decision I’ve made,” he says. “Shared parental leave was really helpful for figuring out our routines and how we were going to be parents together.”

Jim Bloomfield – shared parental leave
Jim Bloomfield, a chartered accountant from our Leeds office shares a similar story.

After the birth of son Seb in 2017, he took nine months of shared parental leave.

Both he and his wife Louise spent six months off work together. Jim then used accrued holiday to spend a further three months with Seb while his wife returned to her role as a partner in a law firm.

Deloitte pays the same for maternity and shared parental leave – 16 weeks at full pay then a further 10 at half pay.

“We were lucky our employers gave us a financial reward for taking shared leave,” Jim says. “I wanted to help Louise achieve her balance with work. Plus, I wanted to spend as much time with Seb as possible.”

He believes this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for his family to have valuable time together. They travelled to Texas when his son was eight weeks old and spent almost a month driving round national parks, enjoying the outdoors and watching live sports.

End

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