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According to research from Glassdoor, around 40% of the workforce are working parents - a number that's impossible to ignore. This means it's more important than ever for employers to provide the right kind of support for this demographic.
We strongly believe that success in business is all about the people; customers, advocates, employees. Without them, success would be impossible. And for us, our employees are the firm foundation on which the rest of the business is built.
Here at Mixology Digital, we're on a mission to foster a supportive, diverse and equality-driven workforce. Which is why we decided to review our family leave policies.
As a leader, our new policy will no doubt translate into greater loyalty and engagement from, and wellbeing for, our teams. Stuff that absolutely pays dividends when it comes to the retention and attraction of the very best!
- El Bryant, Senior Director of Sales
What does our enhanced maternity and adoption leave look like?
A survey from abrdn Financial Fairness Trust found 71% of mothers worried ‘a lot’ about money during pregnancy or maternity leave.
Our new policy aims to help alleviate some of this stress by offering enhanced maternity pay (EMP) and enhanced adoption pay (EAP). This includes:
- 16 weeks full pay
- 20 weeks at 50% pay
- 3 weeks of statutory maternity pay (SMP)
The support shown to me throughout my pregnancy from everyone at ID has been amazing! From the revised maternity policy which is amazing, to the continued flexibility with work (around my appointments, travelling into the office, etc.); empowering me to make decisions based on my team and clients to ensure I feel comfortable and prepared to 'let go' when the time comes! Not to mention the incredible send-off!
- El Bryant, Senior Director of Sales
What does our enhanced paternity and adoption leave look like?
Supporting families is more than just better maternity pay; it's about supporting dads, allowing them to bond with their child, being present in their family unit and supporting the healing/adjustment period that comes after the arrival of a child.
With less than a third of dads having access to enhanced paternity leave, we wanted to be part of the change, which is why our new policy includes:
- 4 weeks at 100% pay
- 2 weeks at 50% pay
The first 4 weeks of leave can be taken in two ways:
- Either as 1 continuous period of leave
- Or split into two: one block of 1 week and a second block of 3 weeks taken within the first year of the child’s life
The 2 week half-pay period can be taken as one block at any time during the first year of the child’s life.
As a consultant (and a mum) I’ve worked with lots of different businesses and unfortunately seen the ‘not so good’ when it comes to family policies. It’s so great to see a smaller company push the boundaries to offer the support that parents need. I loved working with the leadership team to create a policy that really puts the needs of employees first, giving those who are becoming parents through birth or adoption precious time and financial support for those life-changing moments. It’s lovely to see a family-first approach reflected through these new people policies!
- Katie Cox, External HR Consultant
How do we support our working parents?
Our working parents make up a significant chunk of our workforce. The skills and patience required to negotiate with a toddler are killer in the business world, so we aim to go the extra mile in supporting those with kids - we know it's not an easy work-life balance to juggle.
As a remote worker, I don't head into the office as often as some of my colleagues. I also have a young toddler, so life is pretty chaotic at the best of times. When it is an 'office day', I'm able to schedule this around the nursery run so I'm still able to make the most of my family time, without feeling stressed or burned out. I didn't want to be missing out on family dinners or bedtimes, and so I don't.
- Natasha Vickery-Orme, Creative Content Director
Whether it's additional flexibility around the school run, rescheduling meetings when a little one gets stuck at home due to illness, or celebrating all the family photos in our internal comms channels, we pride ourselves on being inclusive and understanding.
Balancing work and family time is essential for me. Thanks to our remote work policies, I can stay dedicated to my job while still spending quality time with my family.
- Sam Valko, Senior Account Director
