Guardian report on Britain's best employers for working parents

[flowerybeanbag]

here

Anyone surprised at how well/badly their sector does in the report, or how high up their employer is?

Very interesting reading and good guidance on rights as well.

Knew all about mine as am part of a team writing a business case to increase our maternity benefits. We came just above average for our sector but we are laughably poor compared to some.

were you easily able to get info about competitors' packages albus? Article mentioned several HR contacts asking for results when questioned.

good luck with your business case

my former sector came up patchy with some above average.
i have to say that the provisions for mat leave and pay were above average but the rest (flexible working etc.) was left up to local managers to interpreter which was when it came unstuck for me

LOL My employer (not mentioned) is a member of the Tommy's pregnancy friendly scheme. Which basically meant someone came and asked me if I was stressed (yes) and working long hours (yes). To which they said thanks very much and disappeared. I was also told by my manager I had to work longer hours (I was already doing 9.30-6 with 3.5 hrs commuting on top) Flexible working? Well, I went back 4 days a week (after a lot of fighting) after ds1 was born. When I was 6 months pregnant with DS2 I was told my flexible hours weren't working and either I could return full time or someone else could do my job! I have left now!

My charity is actually better than the best in sector. I am line managed by the CEO who couldn't be more supportive. I have had to chop and change like nobody's business recently, and he is always fine about it. I am one very lucky bean.

Most I got through contacts but some people made me go through HR. One company asked me to agree to reciprocate and another said no outright.
Just found out business case has been turned down but they are looking into providing childcare vouchers and flexible working so a small victory I suppose.

anyone else get a chance to read this? Confess a sneaky professional interest in people's opinions...

bump pretty please?

...and one more time, any takers?

Apparently it means they either didn't give enough info, or declined to contribute...

and once again for evening people, would love to hear opinions

drat - I've bben ripped off.

This is the inside gen careers advisres should be giving

i work for a small local business. my bosses are the best i've ever worked for. i've got lots of time off in the hols, if my kids are ill, they never moan or make me feel guilty, and we all help each other out. office is all women apart from the MD, and one admin guy.

I work for one of the companies in a best in sector category - I am slightly surprised they are best tho I knew they were pretty good. Lucky for me - though to be honest it is the only reason I have stayed there as they are not that great in other areas. I remember when I was changing company 5 years ago I specifically tried to find out about this as I knew I would be having children in the next 5 years - I knew then that they at least had a stated family friendly policy and were about to do 6 months full pay which is why I moved there (was there 2 and a half years before fist mat leave before people say I am a waster ;>). It was bloody hard to get that sort of info about potential companies though - I am glad they are being more open. Hopefully this sort of report will become some sort of annual list.

Interesting. My former employer comes out "above average". They do pay well during mat leave but God help you if you deign to request flexible or part time working or even say that you can't do unpaid overtime.

I saw what happened to female colleagues who were still made to feel they had to work 15 hour + days when 8 months pregnant and then returned after mat leave, having been refused flexible working, to be treated like second class citizens despite the fact they were working harder than some of the blokes - thats just at work, nevermind the work at home.

Having seen this treatment, I left before even trying to get pregnant and although I feel sorry for those treated badly, for the most part, they also had an option to leave. What made me post, what makes my blood run cold, is the suggestion that you can rate company's attitudes to parents purely on mat/pat pay terms and conditions and childcare vouchers.