How to Advocate for a Competitive Paid Parental Leave Policy
3 min read
·
October 30, 2024
The key to gaining leadership buy-in for a strong parental leave policy is to align the proposal with the company’s values and goals while showing consideration of potential resource limitations. Start with an open conversation with leadership and key decision makers on the type of environment they want to lead within so you have culture anchors to attach your policy to.
Align with Company Values and Culture
Reinforce “people-first” values. If your company prides itself on flexibility and work-life integration, a strong parental leave policy is a natural extension of these values. Emphasize how a policy that supports families aligns with the company's mission to care about employees' well-being. Leave is an important touchpoint for companies to show that they care about supporting their employees.
Appeal to Recruitment and Retention Goals
Offering a robust parental leave policy differentiates the company in a competitive job market, especially in tech startups. It positions the company as a "best place to work," attracting diverse talent and increasing appeal to candidates looking for companies that support work-life balance. Supporting employees during critical life stages like parenthood can lead to greater loyalty, reducing turnover and the costs associated with recruiting and training replacements.
Provide Real Supporting Data
Having data points on what others at a similar stage are offering is incredibly valuable to leaders and decision makers when implementing a policy. Showcase that you’ve done research and know that going slightly above the standard for your industry can give the company a competitive edge.
Some public resources that could be helpful in gathering benchmarking data:
theSkimm’s “Show Us Your Leave” Database
Present a Scalable and Feasible Plan
Acknowledge resource limitations. Show that you understand the company’s current constraints but offer a solution that balances financial feasibility with employee support. A policy with scalable elements, such as optional bonding leave and flexible return-to-work schedules, can ease concerns about operational disruptions.
Additionally, structure your proposed policy such that you are requiring employees to apply to all applicable private short-term disability and state-funded disability and paid family leave programs. This can significantly offset the cost for a company and make it more financially feasible for companies to implement a more generous policy. Advocating for a leave management tool like Aidora can greatly reduce the burden of employees applying to these programs (often a concern for companies who also want to provide a best-in-class employee experience).
Use All of This to Create a Comprehensive Business Case
Framing this policy as an investment in talent, culture, and the company’s reputation, while addressing the company's financial realities, can lead to a compelling case for leadership to implement a stronger parental leave policy.
About Aidora
Want to receive more updates like these? Follow us on LinkedIn or subscribe to our newsletter.
Brittany is a seasoned People Operations professional with experience working across (very) different industries - technology, publishing, fintech, messaging and crypto. With experience building the people function at four companies she is no stranger to policy creation, process implementation and cultivating culture to scale. She enjoys being a strategic people leader and connecting the employee’s growth to the expansion of the business.
