The arrival of a new child into a family should be a time to celebrate – but for some, that joy can be accompanied by a large serving of stress as they plot how they will juggle their new responsibilities with their working lives.
Now, insurance intermediary group PIB – the name behind the likes of PIB Insurance Brokers, Citynet Insurance Brokers and more – has announced it will extend its policy for new and expectant parents to offer 12 weeks full pay of parental leave for both men and women across the group.
In a release announcing the move, the company stated that the change is just one of several initiatives it is implementing as it aims to become an “employer of choice” in the industry. Women are now eligible for 12 weeks of full pay before moving to the statutory rate, while men qualify for 12 weeks at full pay before up to 40 weeks of unpaid leave.
The move has already proved to be a hit, with seven men already taking advantage of the changes since they were introduced.
“We want to support our people on their exciting and special journey to parenthood,” said Fiona Andrews, chief people officer for PIB Group. “Our landscape is constantly changing. People want more flexibility in the way they work, competitors are developing new initiatives to appeal to employees, and we know that to be a successful group we must attract and retain top talent. We also have to keep pace with legislative and culture changes. We are making some positive steps forward to help us address these challenges head-on and while there are no quick fixes, we are committed to seeing a steady improvement year on year as our organisation matures.”
