Deloitte UK announced it was equalizing parental leave. It is the first Big Four accounting firm to offer fathers the same paternity payment as mothers receive for maternity pay.
All new parents will have the right to 26 weeks of fully-paid leave starting on 1 January 2025. Paternity leave used to be four weeks at full pay.
New YouGov survey results show that employees are increasingly considering family leave when selecting an employer.
The Deloitte-commissioned research reveals the impact of unequal parental leave and inflexible work arrangements on working mothers’ career progression. Over half (54%) of working mothers said that having a partner with more parental leave would help them progress in their careers.
A higher percentage of working mothers (61%), said that their partner’s increased flexibility would allow them to advance.
Working fathers are more than twice as likely to say that they had to cut back on their working hours due to the inflexibility of a co-parent.
Jackie Henry, Deloitte’s managing partner for people & purpose, stated: “These findings highlight the urgent need for companies to adopt policies which support parents in balancing their work and family obligations, ultimately fostering gender equality at the workplace.
We know that granting equal paid parental leave to all parents will improve gender equality, and give families the chance to share the responsibility of parenting from the very beginning. This step demonstrates Deloitte’s commitment to a greater equality of family responsibilities, and will make Deloitte a more family-friendly workplace.
In addition, 50% of parents who are working find it difficult to get information on paternity leave and maternity leaves when they are job-hunting.
Deloitte has also announced today that parents of children who require neonatal care can take up to 12 additional weeks paid leave.
The company is also offering paid leave for people who undergo fertility treatments and for caregivers, allowing them to take up to five paid days per year.
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