Wates has overhauled the benefits it offers to staff with family, significantly increasing the level of maternity and paternity pay for employees.
The company has increase paternity leave to eight weeks’ full pay, which is a more-than-fourfold increase on its current policy. It has also boosted maternity leave to 26 weeks on full pay and a further 26 statutory pay, doubling the amount of full pay staff have access to.
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Meanwhile, the company has introduced carer’s leave for the first time to make sure all members of staff can take up to four weeks of unpaid leave per year.
There is also improved bereavement leave, to include two weeks of full pay in the event of losing a member of immediate family.
The changes came after Wates launched its five-year diversity and inclusion plan, called ‘#WatesTogether’
Wates said the new policies would help to attract and develop a diverse workforce with an inclusive mindset, as well as helping to close the gender pay gap by enabling more sharing of responsibilities at work and home.
Wates set out a series of targets in its #WatesTogether plan when it launched last year. Targets include (by 2025):
- Having a workforce which is more reflective of society, with 60% men, 40% women, 20% BAME, 3% with a disability and 5% LGBTQ+ across all levels of the business;
- 50% of the group’s early careers intake to be female;
- 5% of new recruits will be career returners.
It comes after Wates Group announced a three-year partnership with Young Women’s Trust earlier this month. The Group – which is the first construction partner for Young Women’s Trust – will use the partnership to support women aged 18 to 30 who are on low or no pay and are at risk of poverty.
David Allen, chief executive at Wates Group, said: “To be truly fit for the future and to continue to succeed, we need to become a more progressive and inclusive organisation. So, we want to give all our people the flexibility and support they need to thrive in the workplace and at home. These new policies will help us do just that. They provide support for everyone at all stages of their working lives and are tangible evidence of our commitment to being a flexible and responsible employer and to investing in all the members of our tremendous team.”
Nikunj Upadhyay, group head of diversity and inclusion at Wates Group, said: “Surveys of parents in the workplace indicate that men want to be more present for their children and elderly parents, but that current public policy, perceived expectations and organisational practices are barriers to this desire. We also know that one of the biggest reasons for gender pay gap is that women tend to spend more time out of work in their careers due to caring responsibilities.
“Family friendly policies enable more equal sharing of work. These changes reflect the needs of modern families and will help us develop a diverse environment where everyone is welcomed, included and connected.”
