One in five young people quit jobs because of inadequate parental leave policies
One in five 18–34-year-olds have quit their job due to poor parental leave policies, with a further 25 per cent of younger workers saying they decided not to apply for a jobs because they thought the employer’s parental leave policies were inadequate, according to new data.
Research commissioned by Vodafone, which includes an Opinium poll of over 2,000 adults, highlighted how much people care about parental leave policies when making decisions about their own jobs, especially younger generations.
More than a third of people, and more than half of 18–34-year-olds, would be more likely to apply for a job if they knew the employer had good parental leave policies.
One in four 18–34-year-olds have decided not to apply for a job because they thought the employer’s parental leave policies were inadequate.
The findings are part of Vodafone’s report, which argue that employers should be transparent about the benefits they offer to new and expectant parents and caregivers to ensure they attract and retain the top talent.
The report makes recommendations for both the Government and employers on how to provide greater support for new parents and caregivers in the workplace.
This includes advice on flexible working practices where possible, reviewing the effectiveness of shared parental leave, considering whether the statutory right to up to two weeks of paternity leave is still fit for purpose and providing the digital tools for employers to support flexible working.
Caroline Nokes MP, Chair of the Women and Equalities Committee said: “The challenge of combining work and parenting is not a new one, but the findings of this survey are really stark.”
Clare Corkish, HR Director, Vodafone UK said: “Employers have everything to gain from giving their employees the right support when they become parents. Improving parental leave is the right thing to do and it makes good business sense. Prospective employees look closely at how employers treat new parents, and they act on what they see.”
“If employers want to attract the best talent, they need to create a great place to work and robust parental leave policies are one of the best ways of showing this.”