Even in the best of circumstances, we know that it can be challenging to balance a successful career and a full family life.
A recent report from the Fawcett Society and Totaljobs found that working mothers are almost twice as likely as working fathers to consider leaving their jobs. The report also found that two-fifths of working mums have turned down a promotion because of childcare pressures. Stats like these explain why we’re so passionate about supporting working mums in their careers.
At Leyton UK, our people are our most important asset. That means supporting them through every stage of their lives, including the rewarding and challenging journey of parenthood. That’s why we offer a robust package of enhanced family-friendly policies, including:
- Enhanced maternity pay and leave
- Enhanced paternity pay and leave
- Enhanced shared parental pay and leave
- Enhanced adoption and surrogacy pay and leave
- IVF and assisted contraception leave and pay
- Support through pregnancy loss, including unpaid leave
- Antenatal appointments and unpaid parental leave
We’re proud to help working families with these benefits, and we’ve worked hard to create a culture where everyone feels supported and secure, allowing them to thrive at work and in life, no matter their situation.
In this article, we celebrate the vital contribution of working parents by speaking to Senior Business Lead Sarah Anderson about her experience as a working mum at Leyton UK.
The importance of having a work-life balance
We spoke to Senior Business Lead Sarah Anderson as part of our Life At Leyton podcast series to learn about her Life as a working parent at Leyton UK.
For Sarah, flexibility around her working hours was key to success. “I’m very lucky to have the flexibility when it comes to having to go and do childcare pickups and drop-offs, or to pick my daughter up if she’s not feeling well,” she says.
Sarah also says that she benefited from being able to drop down to working four days a week. “It’s an amazing opportunity. Not every business can accommodate that, but Leyton UK management have been really supportive of accommodating what we felt was right for our situation.”
Supporting and recruiting working mums
Feeling supported leads to higher ambition and a better chance of success. By supporting working mums, we can also help to tackle the skills gap within the UK workforce by helping them to apply for roles that align with their experience and career ambitions.
Sarah highlighted a critical point about how some working mothers can feel like they can’t progress to the next stage in their careers unless they abandon flexibility and return to working five days a week for fear of creating the impression that working mothers are less committed or available than their male or childless counterparts.
She felt that this is where Leyton’s work environment of ensuring that working parents feel valued as both professionals and parents made a huge difference: “I felt encouraged to have that time to enjoy family life as much as I enjoy my career and development, and I was still able to carry on the trajectory that I’d put in place for myself prior to maternity. I definitely feel that environment is key for career progression for working mothers.”
Sarah also offered advice on how employers can better support working mothers, both within the company and as potential candidates for new roles: “Employers need to understand people’s commitments. They need to think about how they can support parents returning to work, whether they are a new candidate or whether they’re someone new. They need to ask: how can we support them on that journey, and does it fit into what both parties are looking to do?”
At Leyton UK, we feel that getting the balance right is crucial because working mothers are a vital source of talent that contributes to our overall success. That’s why we work hard to make accommodations that are in everyone’s interest.
Support your family at Leyton UK
We’re committed to creating an inclusive workplace where working mothers are given the same opportunities to progress in their careers, regardless of family obligations. When working parents feel supported, they’re better able to reach their full potential at work and thrive in their personal lives.
If you’re a parent looking for a company that truly values work-life balance, we encourage you to consider a role here at Leyton UK.
Are you interested in a career at Leyton? Discover how to empower your career.
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