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Deloitte UK equalises paid parenting leave

16 September 2024

New equal family leave policy means all parents will be eligible for 26 weeks’ fully paid leave

  • Changes are part of a wider, enhanced family and carers leave package for the firm’s people, including paid time off for neonatal care, caring responsibilities and fertility treatment;
  • YouGov research, commissioned by Deloitte and published today, shows that nine out of ten (87%) working parents say family leave is a major factor when choosing an employer;
  • Over half of working mothers (57%) have had to reduce working hours because of their co-parent’s workplace inflexibility;
  • More than half (54%) of working parents say they would consider leaving their jobs for improved work-life balance.

Deloitte UK has today announced a new policy of 26 weeks’ fully paid family leave* for all its new parents, which will come into effect on 1 January 2025. The move comes as new YouGov research**, commissioned by Deloitte, shows that family leave is a crucial consideration for employees, with nine out of ten (87%) saying it is a major factor when choosing an employer and 85% saying it is key for staying put.

Richard Houston, Deloitte Senior Partner and CEO, said: “I’m proud of the changes we’re announcing today – they demonstrate both the significance and value we place on looking after our people during some of the most important moments in their lives, as well as our added commitment to equality.”

Equal family leave policies could boost careers of working mothers

The Deloitte-commissioned research reveals the significant impact of unequal parenting leave and inflexible work arrangements on working mothers' career progression. Over half of working mothers (54%) say that if their partner 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 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%).

Jackie Henry, Deloitte managing partner People & Purpose, said: “These findings underscore the urgent need for employers to adopt policies that support all parents in balancing work and family responsibilities, ultimately fostering greater gender equality in the workplace. We know that equalising paid parenting leave for all parents is an important step in improving gender equality and in giving families the opportunity to share responsibility right from the early days of parenthood. This move demonstrates our ongoing commitment to greater equality in family responsibilities - and will make Deloitte an even more family-friendly place to work.”

Call for transparency: jobseekers struggle to find family leave details

The Deloitte-commissioned research revealed that 50% of working parents find it challenging to access information about paternity and maternity leave during the job-hunting process. This lack of transparency can make it difficult for parents to make informed decisions about their careers.

Over a quarter of employees feel pressured when taking family leave

The survey also sheds light on challenges faced by working parents, with 67% reporting 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.

Beyond parenting leave, 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.

New paid leave for neonatal care, caring responsibilities and fertility treatment

Other new measures introduced by Deloitte today include up to 12 weeks of additional paid leave for parents whose child requires neonatal care.*** The firm is also increasing support for carers with long-term caregiving roles - who can now take five days paid leave per year - and strengthening support for those undergoing fertility treatment, by giving its people paid time off for fertility treatment. These new measures come on top of Deloitte’s existing family policies and support for its people.  

Henry concludes: “We support all definitions of family, which is why the measures we’ve announced today support our people at various stages of their lives – including those undergoing fertility treatment and those with long-term caring responsibilities. We believe that these changes will help our people to balance caring responsibilities with work commitments and support their wellbeing.”

-Ends-


Notes to editors

*In October 2022, Deloitte announced significant enhancements to its maternity and adoption and surrogacy policy, increasing the time off at full pay to 26 weeks and making this a day-one right. The eligibility criteria for Deloitte’s current paternity leave policy, with full pay for four weeks, was also changed to a day-one right. From 1 January 2025 the new policy of 26 weeks’ fully paid family leave will be a day-one right.

**YouGov survey: All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 2042 working parents. Fieldwork was undertaken between 9th - 22nd August 2024. The survey was carried out online.

*** Both measures will come into effect from 1 January 2025.

Deloitte policies announced today:·

  • Deloitte will introduce a new family leave policy that equalises pay for all parents, which is 26 weeks of full pay from 1 January 2025.
  • Strengthened support for those undergoing fertility treatment by giving paid time off.
  • Additional paid leave for parents whose child requires neonatal care for up to 12 weeks.
  • Increased support for carers by offering our people with long-term caregiving roles the opportunity to take [an additional] five days of paid leave per year.

This is in addition to our existing support for working parents, including:·

  • Our Working Parents Transitions Programme helps parents and their team leaders manage the transition into parenthood as smoothly as possible.
  • If a parent’s primary childcare arrangements have fallen through unexpectedly, we provide emergency back-up childcare, for example: a day at nursery, a childminder, holiday club or nanny/home carer.  We offer five fully-subsidised and five part-subsidised sessions per year.
  • Deloitte’s Working Families network connects parents, prospective parents and carers across the firm so they can share best practices, resources, ideas, information, or simply swap stories.
  • Deloitte’s diversity networks offer informal peer support for parents, including Proud Families, the ND Network, and Workability.
  • Our hybrid working approach reflects our shared values and our firm fundamentals and is built on two-way open and honest conversations around what will enable our people to do their best work, while meeting the expectations of our clients and leaders.
  • We also offer various formal flexible working arrangements such as part-time working.
  • Deloitte’s Time Out scheme enables our people to take a four-week period of unpaid leave once a year, for any reason, at a time that suits them and the business. Our aim is to ensure that all our people are able to balance their lives outside work with a successful and fulfilling career.
  • Our Ways of Working Framework is a tool to support open and honest conversations about ways of working preferences. It's a way for our teams to discuss hybrid ways of working and to collectively agree an approach that works for everyone.