Modern family

At some point in our lives, most of us will have responsibilities that will require us to flex our work – from childcare for a little one to caring for an elderly parent. 

Family-friendly policies are a key factor in attracting and retaining talent, as revealed by the YouGov research we commissioned last year. They also play a crucial role in balancing work and family responsibilities right from the early days of parenthood, ultimately fostering greater gender equality in the workplace. 

We’ve recently introduced an enhanced package of family-friendly policies at Deloitte UK, including extended parental leave, paid carers’ leave, neonatal leave and fertility support – making sure our support is truly equitable and reflective of the diverse needs of modern families.   

Here’s the journey we’ve been on and the difference these policies are making for our people – in their words. 

Our people are at the heart of everything we do. That means listening to what matters to them – what’s working well, and where we can better support.   

Feedback from our people, particularly women and our Working Families and Carers networks, told us there were challenges with balancing careers with family responsibilities. And we recognised that we could do more to support them.  

In September 2024, Deloitte UK announced an equal family leave policy, meaning all new parents are eligible for 26 weeks’ fully paid leave from 1 January 2025. These changes are part of a wider, enhanced family and carers leave package for our people, including paid time off for neonatal care, caring responsibilities and fertility treatment. 

One year on, the first fathers to benefit from the family leave policy are returning to work. 

Here’s Zarar, a manager in our Technology & Transformation business, who took six months’ paternity leave at the start of the year as he became a father for the first time: 

“My wife and I welcomed our beautiful baby girl Eliz into the world at the end of December 2024. The extended paid parental leave offered by Deloitte has allowed me to fully show up as a husband and father – from middle-of-the-night feeds to figuring out what on earth “colic” and “reflux” really mean. I’ve had the time to learn, laugh, panic, Google and grow.  

We don’t have immediate family nearby (my parents live abroad), so I’ve really valued being able to support my wife physically and emotionally during this transition, develop a special bond with Eliz, and figure out new routines that work for us. My leaders have been nothing but supportive, both before my leave and as I’ve returned to work.”

Chris, a Deloitte director, who has just returned from six months’ paternity leave, adds:

“It’s been amazing to welcome baby Ruby into our growing family as I became a dad for the third time. Thanks to the firm’s new family leave policy, I was able to take six months away from work to spend with my family. This time has allowed my wife and I to properly share the caring responsibilities, and given me some really precious memories."

Chris, who works closely with The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood, continues: “Policies like this can only work when they’re backed by a culture that truly empowers people to take advantage of them. I’m equally thankful to the leaders around me and my fellow director group, who have been incredibly supportive and made it feel possible for me to take this time.” 

Not only do these new policies allow us to take care of our people and create an inclusive environment at work for everyone, regardless of whether they’re a parent or not – they also normalise taking time off work for the moments that matter in life.  

Take Philippa, an associate director in our Tax and Legal business, who last year was able to use our private medical cover to receive support with fertility treatment:  

“I decided to look into the fertility support we receive through Bupa after a colleague shared their positive experience with me. I’m in my thirties, single and know I would like children in the future, so I decided to freeze my eggs.  

“I was very open about what I was doing with the people I worked with to help normalise it and appreciated their support. Decisions around fertility are deeply personal, but I am incredibly grateful that our medical insurance allowed me to receive this support in a way that works for me and my circumstances.” 

And then there’s Fran, a manager in Technology & Transformation, who unexpectedly had to take carers’ leave after her father became unwell over the past year: 

“Last December, my father was suddenly taken ill. I worked flexibly for a while to manage hospital visits and appointments, but as his condition worsened, I found it challenging to continue working, so I took five days’ carers’ leave to spend time with him.” 

“Saying goodbye was hard, but our bereavement leave gave me space to process. My people leader suggested speaking to occupational health, who advised a phased return to work. I’m now fully back with the business and feel grateful for the support our different policies provided me.” 

The response to our family-friendly policies has been incredibly positive. Not only have we received many messages of support and appreciation from our people, as well as Deloitte alumni; we’ve also heard from our clients and other organisations asking to understand our approach to enhancing our family leave policies as they strive to become family-friendly employers themselves.  

We’re proud to be one of the first UK organisations to officially be recognised as a family-friendly workplace, and it’s brilliant to see the first colleagues benefitting from our new policies. But we also recognise that the important work is just beginning, making sure we continue to create a culture where everyone feels empowered to take full advantage of the support available, without fear of stigma or career repercussions.  

We believe these policies are not only the right thing to do by our people – they’re good for business too. We’re continuously reviewing and evolving our policies and benefits to meet the changing needs of our people, and we’ll continue to share our lessons with other organisations and government so that together we can make meaningful progress towards achieving greater gender equality and supporting working families in the UK.