Bank of Ireland received the Family Friendly Employer of the Year award, sponsored by Bright Horizons, at the Personnel Today Awards 2023, with our judges saying the generous family policies under its ‘Life Moments’ project was an amazing team effort.

With input from focus groups and tailored offers for surrogacy, menopause, and a comprehensive domestic abuse policy, the bank has created a suite of benefits that has had a positive impact on employee engagement.

Here we look at Bank of Ireland’s winning entry and those of our runners-up.

WINNER

Bank of Ireland

Prior to launching its ‘Life Moments’ project, the Bank of Ireland knew that many of its people policies were outdated, difficult to navigate and did not reflect the reality of the challenges faced by modern families. It knew its policies and benefits needed to reflect the bank’s inclusive and progressive culture if it wanted to attract talent and cement itself as an employer of choice.

Life Matters recognises that colleagues need different types of support at different stages of life. It includes several benefits under a ‘Family Matters’ banner, including 26 weeks’ fully-paid maternity leave, six weeks’ paternity leave and 7 weeks’ paid shared parental leave, as well as paid leave for other family matters including surrogacy, fertility treatment, early pregnancy loss and foster care. All of these entitlements are explained in an engaging and user-friendly handbook.

It also has a menopause policy that recognises how this life stage can effect a person’s entire family, as well as a domestic abuse support policy that offers paid emergency accommodation, salary advances and physical security services.

The policies have had a positive impact on employee engagement, with its 2022 survey recording a 5 point increase from 2021. The policies have supported employees through domestic abuse, fertility treatment, maternity and paternity leave, and those having a child through surrogacy now enjoy the same rights as those taking maternity or adoption leave.

RUNNERS-UP

Biffa

Although the waste management industry is still considered to be male-dominated, Biffa is seeking to change that. Employee research revealed that the way it supported staff through significant life events such as maternity leave and bereavement had a huge impact on engagement and inclusion, so it decided to conduct a root and branch review of its policies to see how it could better support its 10,500 staff.

This resulted in the creation of seven new or updated family-friendly policies covering maternity, paternity, menopause, time off, sabbatical, volunteering and retirement. Maternity leave was extended to 26 weeks at full pay and 13 weeks at half pay, and fathers can take two weeks fully-paid paternity leave and two weeks of unpaid leave. There is also a flexible return option for women returning to work after having a baby, giving them the option to work 80% of their contracted hours for three months but still receive full pay. Mothers and fathers receive paid leave for their child’s first birthday and first day of school. Paid leave is also in place for IVF treatment, bereavement and volunteer days.

Biffa also supports employees as they reach retirement, offering options to wind down (part-time or job share), step down (move to a lower grade) or ease down (gradually reduce hours or responsibilities). They receive an extra day’s leave for retirement planning, rising to five days if they provide 52 weeks’ notice of retirement.

The company has seen huge improvements in engagement among women, rising from 7% in 2022 to 67% in 2023. Both men and women report a more positive work-life balance and 84% agree that Biffa values diversity.

Zopa

Digital bank Zopa has a suite of benefits and policies to support modern families at any stage of life, from starting a family to caring for elderly relatives.

It offers 16 weeks’ maternity and co-parent leave, the latter of which can be taken at any time during the first year following birth or adoption. Its private healthcare scheme pays out £100 per child to help with newborn essentials, while a new parent coaching scheme has been launched to ensure new parents feel supported while on leave and during their transition back to work.

Staff can swap any set religious bank holidays for days better suited to their religion’s holidays, and all staff have their birthdays off to allow them to celebrate with family and friends. Fifteen days paid bereavement, miscarriage or stillbirth leave is also offered, as well as two days off when a pet dies. To support those who care for children, elderly relatives or other dependants, its employees can request flexible work hours from day one of their contract.

Since launching its co-parent leave in 2022, 15 male new parents have made use of the enhanced offering. During this time engagement has increased by 4% and attrition has dropped by 10%. It has offered female employees promotions while they have been on maternity leave, helping it to retain valued staff, and male employees have cited its family-friendly offering as a reason not to move to another employer.

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