COMMENT Last week, a senior tech exec’s comments about not “believing” in maternity leave caused a serious stir in both newspaper headlines and meeting rooms across the UK.
To hear a sentiment so at odds with the society we live in and that we are collectively striving to create is jarring. However, if you think about the resulting shock from his comments compared with the reality of what many companies actually offer in terms of maternity leave, there is something of a disconnect that raises the question: are they shocked at the voiced beliefs or how overt the individual was in voicing them?
The reality is that you cannot “not believe” in maternity leave as though it is the tooth fairy or an opt-in choice, because it’s not. Beyond being the right thing to do, providing supportive parental leave – meaning maternity leave that doesn’t make being a parent and having a career an either/or option and paternity leave that does not reinforce normative gender roles – is business-critical.
Breaking barriers
As a sector, real estate has long suffered from a chronic lack of diversity and has struggled to retain women in senior roles – something that has become increasingly evident since the introduction of gender pay gap reporting over the past four years.
There is more work to be done, but we are constantly pushing to widen access to the industry through initiatives that remove traditional barriers and instead welcome those who have trodden a path that varies from the well-established route into property.
We know the multiple benefits of diversity, and as real estate is fundamentally a people industry, our workforce needs to reflect the diverse communities that our buildings and spaces serve.
However, is it enough to bring in more diverse talent at the start of their careers if a lack of proper support further down the line changes that point of entry into a revolving door? Against the backdrop of an emerging skills shortage and the “Great Resignation”, we simply cannot afford to lose talent like this, and getting maternity leave right is an important way that we can specifically encourage women to join and stay in the industry throughout their careers.
Talent = business
Fundamentally, this is about respect – respect for staff as individuals, respect for their work, respect for their personal lives, respect for their wellbeing and respect for their boundaries – to empower people to bring their best to their working day.
The irony is that if you do not value your staff then you inherently detract from the value of your business, because your talent is your business – without them nothing happens. The countdown is on to ensure we don’t lose any more talent from the workplace through inappropriate policy.
Jason Sibthorpe is principal and president, UK at Avison Young
