The Advantages Of A Single Parental Leave Policy Over Separate Maternity And Paternity Leaves

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The transition to parenthood changes any parent's physical and mental health drastically. Paid leave from work helps parents navigate these changes and shift their focus from making a living to bonding with their newborn. 

Many companies think they are progressive enough by boosting their maternity leave packages when there is a better option: parental leave or offering paid time off for parents, regardless of gender. After all, both parents should be given ample time to adjust to parenthood, take care of their newborn in their first few months, and bond with their partners as they navigate this transition.

The Advantages Of A Single Parental Leave Policy Over Separate Maternity And Paternity Leaves

Let's discuss other advantages of having a single parental leave policy over separate maternity and paternity leave packages.

Addresses gender inequality in the workplace

Let's get right to it. Seemingly positive actions such as (enhanced) maternity and paternity leave policies can unintentionally propagate outdated notions that women are children's "natural" caregivers. 

This most likely leads to hiring managers hesitating to hire a woman they think will soon start a family and take extended maternity leave. This can also keep women from getting well-deserved promotions when they take maternity leave. And lastly, this also influences how much they are paid — the gender pay gap in the UK is 18.1%. 

Seven out of 10 employers in the UK believe that women should disclose their pregnancy during the recruitment process, according to the Equality and Human Rights Commission. Almost a quarter of them think that women should work for them for at least a year before deciding to have children. A survey by YouGov for women's charity Young Women's Trust also found that almost 40% of young mothers were asked during recruitment how their being a mother would affect their work.

Promotes health and wellness

Research has shown that paid leave has helped new parents adjust to their new roles at home. However, mothers who took shorter leave periods were more likely to experience sleep problems, be re-hospitalized, and increase their risk of getting mood disorders. 

A father's brain is also affected by paid parental leave, studies have shown. Our brains grow and change when faced with new experiences. Therefore, a father's brain can develop natural responses to a baby as he takes care of them, responses that are usually referred to as the "mother's instincts." 

Studies have also shown that a father's presence at home benefits the mother's health during the parental transition. For example, with a father's increased ability to take leave from work, mothers were less likely to develop physical health complications and to take prescription medication for anxiety.

Ultimately, this all trickles down to the health of the children. For example, a study suggested that parental leaves are associated with lower infant mortality and higher vaccination rates. In addition, several psychological research studies have demonstrated that parent-child bonding in the first years significantly contributes to children's cognitive, socio-emotional, and behavioral development.

Attracts and retains new employees

On the business side, organizations can benefit from a single parental leave policy. Candidates, regardless of gender, find it essential that the company they are joining offers paid parental leave. Of all the types of leaves, parental leave must be the most common, considering that many employees worldwide are parents. 

Giving employees the peace of mind that they have paid parental leave available when the time comes can benefit their productivity, performance, and morale. It also shows that you value your employees and their families.

Having a parental leave policy also encourages employees to come back to work. In addition, when taking longer parental leaves, employees are more likely to keep their jobs, which benefits organizations as it is expensive to hire new talent.

Shared Parental Leave in the UK

The United Kingdom introduced Shared Parental Leave (SPL) in 2015, allowing parents to share up to 50 weeks of leave — 37 of which are paid. They have the prerogative to take them all at once together, bring them in blocks, or stagger the rest. The paid rate for Shared Parental Pay (ShPP) is £156.66 a week or 90% of your average weekly earnings, whichever is lower.

SPL is available to couples who are having a baby, adopting a child, using a surrogate to have a baby, or fostering a child they are planning to adopt.

Why SPL hasn’t taken off as it should have

One major reason is money. Since men are generally paid more, households face more financial penalties if the father takes the parental leave. Moreso, the shared parental leave is still very much dependent on the maternity leave by default — meaning, it’s up to the mother if she wants to share the parental leave with the father. Furthermore, there is also the stigma and normative pattern that tells women they are not good mothers if they go back to work immediately. For SPL to take off as it should, such outdated notions must be eradicated.

How same-sex couples are disadvantaged in parental leaves

Research has suggested that same sex male couples are getting less parental leaves compared to same sex female couples and different-sex couples. The study found that same-sex couples get five fewer months of paid leave than their heterosexual counterparts. Same-sex male couples only get zero to 156 weeks, while same-sex female couples get 12 to 164 weeks. Heterosexual couples, on the other hand, receive 13 to 184 weeks on average. The disparity is said to be an indirect result of how leave policies are worded in such a way that women are still regarded as the primary caregivers by default.

Final Thoughts

Making a single parental leave policy available to employees strengthens an organization's commitment to gender diversity in the workplace. In addition, it shows that the company values its employees and their families and that the employees' decision whether or not to have children do not factor in recruitment, salary, and growth in the company.