QBE takes ‘bold steps’ in revamping paternal leave in UK

Re/insurer  QBE had revamped its paternity leave policy for 2023 in the UK as part of its efforts towards gender equality and inclusivity.

One of the key moves is to offer up to 52 weeks of parental leave, with 26 weeks at normal basic salary for new parents, regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation or how employees become a parent.

The change comes as part of a host of new benefits being implemented this year, including an increased annual leave allowance and expanded private medical coverage, among others.

Emma Higgins, chief people officer, QBE Europe, said: “It’s been shown that offering extended paternity leave has wide-reaching benefits for co-parents themselves, their children, and employers who gain a more engaged and loyal workforce. This also has a positive impact on gender equality beyond QBE and reflects the needs of dual career families, as time away from work to care for a child can be more equally split. This step reflects our goal of being a market-leading employer to attract and retain the best people.”

Higgins added: “We have listened to what our employees have been telling us they want from an employer and many of the ideas behind the changes have been generated by our employee inclusion networks. These new benefits further enhance our offering, which also includes our high trust approach to hybrid working. I’m delighted that we’ve been able to take some bold steps in making our benefits offering more inclusive.  This is a journey for us, and while the changes we’ve announced apply to UK employees only at the moment, revamping our offering for colleagues outside of the UK is a core priority.

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