New dads to get up to a full year paternity leave on full pay!

[HirplesWithHaggis]

If they work for Virgin. I'm impressed!

[Lweji]

I wonder how many will take it up. But it's an excellent initiative.
Presumably, mothers also get up to one year maternity with full pay.

But... how many do get to make children working for Virgin.

[littlemissmuggins]

Well, I've worked for a Virgin company and all I can say to that is a big fat Bollocks.

[Jsa1980]

It's only for the top brass though so about 144 (very well paid) people

[Gileswithachainsaw]

Well, those dad's aren't ever going to make it back to work are they? would any of them survive getting under their wives feet fir an entire year?

[Lweji]

Giles, that's assuming the mother is at home for the whole year.

[Lweji]

"Virgin said that on the back of the reforms it plans to offer all parents, irrespective of gender, up to 100 per cent of their basic salary over the 52 week period of shared parental leave."

So, a father will only get 100% for 52 weeks if he is the one staying at home instead of the mother.

[AuntieStella]

up to 100% ?

That's a pretty big weasel.

[Lweji]

It's 100% from 4 years working at the company.

I wonder what is the actual personnel turnover there.

[QforCucumber]

Branson also apparently has no holiday allowance in parts of his company.
people can take as much or as little as they want/need and claims he has found this works better than a set allowance,

in an interview he said people don't take the pee with it because they know nowhere else offers such a good deal.

[Heels99]

It is indeed a great offer for employees although obviously funded by customers.

I am unimpressed they now charge £75 to book a plane seat in advance in addition to the normal air fare, that's per seat per journey ( I think, correct me if I am wrong!)

[RedToothBrush]

I mentioned this to DH, who commented that its a good commercial move because good young male employees were particularly difficult to keep hold of as they were much more likely to change jobs than women. He's changed jobs once or twice every couple of years for both career progression and circumstances beyond his control, but this would be one of the few things that would make him reconsider doing that even if he was offered more money elsewhere. It was something worth being loyal to a company for. Given the cost of recruiting him (and other staff if his replacements do similar), it does make more financial sense than it initially sounds.

From a woman's point of view, I think that offering better terms also makes good sense as good employees are more likely to go back to work, rather than give up or go part time if they are offered this. Equally there is something to be said for it if there partners work for virgin and they don't as if its shared leave, then they can back to work quicker (or if they are not entitled to as much) whilst their partner shares the leave which ultimately may make the transition back to work easier for all concerned.

I know that DH would have loved to have taken more leave (he still would - DS is still only 9 months). Economically he had to take half his paternity leave as holiday rather than paternity as he was only entitled to statutory after a week which wouldn't cover our bills.

I hope more places start seeing the value of the idea tbh. I don't think its just a gimmick or a PR stunt, but a good way of retaining high quality staff.