New fathers at Bouyges UK will be able to take up to eight weeks paternity leave on full pay, six weeks more than guaranteed in current UK law
In a new announcement, Bouyges stated they had enhanced their paternity leave policy to allow new fathers to take up to eight weeks on full pay.
Bouyges UK said they were “delighted” to make the change
In a statement, the company said that “we strive for an inclusive workplace and an environment which helps our people to have the balance they need to integrate their personal and professional lives in a way that works for them. We want all our staff to feel comfortable bringing their whole selves to work, be that working on site or in the office, because we understand that people perform better when they can truly be themselves.
“One of the biggest discrepancies in the gender equality gap is parenthood, with women still often automatically assumed the primary caregiver so we are proud to be championing change for a more equal future.
“We hope our offer will help improve the lives of our colleagues to foster stronger parent-child bonding and effectively balance their work with raising a family, regardless of gender.”
Industry attitudes towards paternity are changing
Martin Schultz, HR director at Bouygues UK, said: “We believe our enhanced paternity leave policy will hugely benefit new fathers and contribute to building a more inclusive workplace culture where parents are supported to achieve a healthier work/life balance.”
The company joins the growing number of construction companies offering paternity leave above the legal minimum– Skanska and Kier also offer eight weeks at full pay and Sir Robert McAlpine allows all new parents the right to 26 weeks paid leave, regardless of whether their family is growing through birth, surrogacy or adoption.
