Employees put off parenthood due to concerns over parental leave policies

A study of 2,000 employees found 67 per cent agreed company benefits are important to them when making a decision about when to start a family.

With 78 per cent being more likely to embark upon this journey sooner if better parental leave policies were in place.

It also emerged 68 per cent believed that with the right the support from their employer, they would be able to progress their career while being the parent they want to be.

This comes as the general cost of living (47 per cent), greater financial stability (47 per cent) and the price of childcare (40 per cent) were cited as other major factors for delaying parenthood.

The study was commissioned by VodafoneThree to highlight the support it has available to colleagues starting or growing a family - with all birthing and adoptive parents able to take up to 39 weeks paid leave, and non-birthing parents up to 16 weeks at full pay.

Employees returning from family-related leave can also choose to work 80 per cent of their contracted hours for 100 per cent pay for their first six months back at work, alongside broader flexible working policies such as core working hours, hybrid working and the ability to work from anywhere for up to 20 working days a year.

Katrin Jacke, HR director at VodafoneThree, said: "We recognise the incredible value that working parents bring to our organisation.

"Although employers can’t remove every barrier to parenthood, we can ensure our family-friendly policies give our people the time and flexibility they need in those key moments.

"Designing our polices with all parents in mind is one of the ways we can help families share caring responsibilities more equally from the start and, through our continued support and flexible ways of working, we can give our people confidence that they can thrive both in their careers and in their personal life.”

The study also found 52 per cent of employees claimed family-friendly workplace benefits have impacted their decision to join their current workplace.

With exactly a fifth believing better parental leave would give them greater confidence to start a family.

More flexibility (59 per cent), enhanced maternity leave (56 per cent), and childcare support or subsidies (20 per cent) are among policies that would make them more confident about starting a family.

With 28 per cent considering changing jobs because of parental leave or family-related workplace benefits.

When comparing generations, 31 per cent of Millennials are delaying having children over concerns about workplace parental leave entitlements, while 49 per cent of Gen Z say the same.

And 39 per cent of 30-49-year-olds think companies aren’t doing enough to support working parents - suggesting employers are playing an important role in parenthood plans for the younger generations.

Exactly a quarter of men had concerns about workplace parental leave entitlements – leading them to delay their family plans, compared to 20 per cent of women.

While 50 per cent would be more confident about become a parent with enhanced paternity leave, according to the OnePoll.com data.

Commenting on the findings, founder of Parenting Out Loud, Elliot Rae, said: “More dads than ever want to be actively involved in raising their children, and both parents increasingly want to share the care while continuing to thrive in their careers.

“People don't just want to have children; they want to be present, involved parents, without having to sacrifice their careers to make that possible.

"Employers have a huge role to play in making this a reality - parental leave, genuine flexibility and a workplace culture that supports both mums and dads to be equal parents can make a life-changing difference.”

ELLIOT RAE’S TOP TIPS ON HOW TO PLAN FOR PARENTHOOD:

1. Understand your parental leave entitlements - Find out how much leave you and your partner could take, how much you'll be paid and what support is available when you return.

2. Have honest conversations about how you’ll share the care - Talk about what equal parenting might look like for you.

3. Look beyond the policy to the workplace culture - Find visible role models, including senior men who take parental leave, work flexibly and openly discuss their caregiving responsibilities.

4. Explore flexibility before you need it - Understand what flexible working options your employer offers, including hybrid working, adjusted hours and compressed weeks.

5. The perfect parent doesn’t exist - It's sensible to plan and understand the support available, but don't feel pressured to have everything figured out.