Welcoming a baby into your life turns your world upside-down and can be so overwhelming – this is why we need as much help as we can get.
The Shared Parental Leave (SPL) scheme was introduced in April 2015 for that very reason. Why, then, are so few people – just 5 per cent of new fathers, and 8 per cent of new mothers – availing of the scheme? The answer is quite alarming.
Recently, Office Genie decided to get to the bottom of the issue, and discovered that the gender pay gap is actually the main reason why couples are avoiding the scheme.
The team carried out a study across 1,000 working people in the UK, and asked them about their experiences in the workplace. From that data, it emerged that a staggering 44 per cent of people have either first- or second-hand experience of workplace discrimination against women who are returning to work after having a baby.
When the subject of the SPL scheme was raised, many cited this discrimination – mainly in wages – as the reason why they were not subscribing to the scheme. This wasn’t helped by the unsupportive attitude of employers – a common theme running throughout the research feedback.
While MPs have previously called for the issue surrounding the gender pay gap to be solved, it’s clear that the subject needs to be pushed.
Commenting on the research, Sarah Sutton of Office Genie said: “I would urge all employers to promote SPL nonetheless.
“The scheme gives employees the flexibility they need, and the benefits for the employer are tangible, too; there’s a reduced turnover, increased staff loyalty and engagement, and it helps to create a family-friendly culture.”
What are your thoughts, mums? Can you relate to the majority in this research? Be sure to let us know!
