Initiative expands parental leave policy, launches new Maternity Masterclass study program
Media agency, Initiative has announced the launch of Maternity Masterclass, a new national program designed to help parents return to work with more experience than when they left for parental leave.
Through Maternity Masterclass, Initiative will fund accredited and remote learning programs, for mums or dads on parental leave who choose to opt in and enrol in courses, such as a Mini MBA; a Behavioural Science course; or a mentorship training program, to enhance their skills and capabilities.
Erin Jakubans, chief people officer, Initiative Australia said with a workforce made up of 66% women in the 25-34 year-old age group, plus an all agency gender split of more than 60 per cent female, it is a business imperative to continually look for ways to help employees thrive when they’re not at work for extended periods, such as on parental leave.
Says Jakubans: “Parents can effectively lose a year’s worth of career progression when they take time off to not just have children but raise them during their formative years.
“We know many parents feel an extended period of time away from the office can stall their careers, and while Maternity Masterclass is definitely not for everyone, we want those who have the desire to study to be encouraged and helped to do so.
“Innovative programs like Maternity Masterclass are a wonderful way for employees taking parental leave to build their CV and add additional skills to their repertoire.”
The program which comes into effect immediately (and ahead of International Women’s Day on March 8), was developed after benchmarking Australian industry standards and teamed with a close examination of what Initiative staff needed and wanted.
Says Jakubans: “As an industry, we lose talented, strong and experienced people, especially women who are starting or expanding their family, because they may not see their employer as either family friendly, or a viable long-term option.
“At Initiative our parental leave policy and program like Maternity Masterclass make us ‘among the best in the industry’ and are part of our commitment to ensure everyone has the chance to balance work and family life. Ultimately, we hope talent will see Initiative as a long-term career option that is supportive through all different phases of life. Maternity Masterclass helps revamp our talent retention and attraction goals.
Says Melissa Fein, CEO, Initiative Australia: “As an industry leader, we are proud to support our employees through every phase of their careers.
“We need to ensure our people have every opportunity to balance work, family, and other responsibilities and have the option to increase their skillset even when on extended leave. Maternity Masterclass program is a welcome addition to Initiative’s industry leading parental leave policy and is designed help parents grow and thrive in their careers.”
Maternity Masterclass is available to all employees taking primary parental leave for longer than six months and have been an employee of Initiative for more than 12 months. Financial contribution is capped per year. Course options are limitless, but must be accredited and relevant to strengthening the skills and capabilities of the individual plus be taken while the employee is on parental leave.
3 Comments
I’m sorry but how does putting more pressure on people (most women) who are on parental leave actually help the situation? This somehow makes the assumption parents come back from leave less qualified that when they left and need to be ‘skilled up’, when actually, the opposite is true. I love hiring people with kids because they are more efficient, they are more ambitious because they have a really big new reason to succeed and they have a greater insight into their audiences.
Does Initiative realise that people take parental leave to raise their children? Not every waking moment isn’t an opportunity to build credentials for your company. Also, as “Nope” rightly says, becoming a parent equips you with valuable life skills that you can apply to a working environment and will be valued by the right employer. I’m keen to hear from these employees on parental leave who are busting to embark on tertiary qualifications. I applaud them (and want to know their secrets!) All the parents I know who are in the thick of parental leave count themselves as lucky if they get more than 4 hours sleep and can string a sentence together at the end of the day.
Sure, there definitely is a problem with return-to-work anxiety, but this seems like it would only add to that. Perhaps better support with mental health, flexible working, normalising all genders to take parental leave to raise their children or childcare subsidies might be a better way to support your staff.
Please forgive any clunky wording; I’m tired from the incredibly rewarding job of raising my child and I don’t have a mini MBA.
This is literally the most tone deaf initiative I have ever come across. First you are assuming women get rusty and stupid while on mat leave. Ever learnt how to pump breast milk after going through a major medical procedure, how to figure out baby wearing in 30 minutes while you infant is crying non stop from colic. How about battling post partum depression while ensuring your kid is being seen at the hospital for a possible lesion in his lung? Women for sure don’t just sit idle during mat leave. And we want to spend this valuable time nurturing our newborns and not writing exams.
Now women have to be under pressure doing a damn mini MBA while on mat leave. How about just leaving women alone for a year and being more understanding and kind when they get back.