Vodafone is offering greater flexibility for new parents as its research shows the majority of people feel burnt out when returning to work after having a child.
The UK telecommunications company’s 80:20 policy allows parents to work 80% of their usual hours for 100% of their pay for the first six months back at work, with no impact on their holiday entitlement or benefits.
This is equivalent to working a four-day week, with most new parents opting to take Fridays off during these six months, according to Nicki Lyons, Vodafone UK’s chief corporate affairs and sustainability officer. “It takes the sting out of what can be a really tricky adjustment period, both at work and at home,” she says.
Three-quarters (77%) of new parents report feeling burnt out when coming back to work, according to a survey of 1,000 parents of children aged five and under, commissioned by Vodafone. Respondents say that family-friendly policies can have a positive effect on their work/life balance and mental wellbeing.
It takes the sting out of what can be a really tricky adjustment period
Derek, a talent acquisition manager at Vodafone, says: “Men don’t always have the opportunity to spend time with their children in the early months.” He claims the additional time off has allowed him to attend more baby classes and to better share childcare responsibilities with his wife.
“The impact of it is hugely beneficial,” Lyons says. “People get more time at home with their kids, it reduces childcare costs and, for the father or the non-birthing parent, there’s the benefit of being able to spend more quality time with their child.”
The 80:20 policy is in addition to Vodafone’s family-related leave, which entitles mothers, those becoming a parent through surrogacy, or primary caregivers adopting a child, to 39 weeks of paid leave and an additional 13 weeks unpaid. Fathers or non-birthing parents can take up to 16 weeks of fully paid leave.
Benefits for businesses and the economy
Vodafone’s 80:20 policy has also brought benefits for the business. Lyons says parents bring transferrable skills to the workplace, such as multi-tasking, time management and greater patience levels, and it has also aided talent attraction and retention.
A quarter of working mothers are forced to quit work because of childcare commitments, according to a survey of 2,000 people by UN Women UK. A third (35%) cited the inflexibility of their employers as a significant challenge.
Talk to your employees, find out what they want, trust their judgement and then experiment
Research from Vodafone estimates up to £10bn could be added the UK economy in productivity gains if greater workplace flexibility was offered to parents and that this could encourage 440,000 parents back to the workforce.
“As British companies, we should be doing whatever we can to unlock potential economic growth in the UK,” Lyons says. “I would urge other companies to think of it from that broad national perspective, as well as from their own individual perspective.”
She advises other businesses to speak to their staff and consult working parents to establish what benefits could help support them back to work. “We have a really trusting mindset that’s built into all of our policies,” Lyons adds. “That’s a good starting point for any company. Talk to your employees, find out what they want, trust their judgement and then experiment.”
Vodafone is offering greater flexibility for new parents as its research shows the majority of people feel burnt out when returning to work after having a child.
The UK telecommunications company's 80:20 policy allows parents to work 80% of their usual hours for 100% of their pay for the first six months back at work, with no impact on their holiday entitlement or benefits.
This is equivalent to working a four-day week, with most new parents opting to take Fridays off during these six months, according to Nicki Lyons, Vodafone UK’s chief corporate affairs and sustainability officer. “It takes the sting out of what can be a really tricky adjustment period, both at work and at home,” she says.
