In early 2015, new parental leave legislation came into effect, giving parents the option of sharing leave over the course of a year.
If you are not familiar with shared parental leave (SPL), this is a period of leave calculated using the mother’s entitlement to maternity/adoption leave (up to 52 weeks). If they reduce their maternity/adoption leave entitlement, they and/or their partner may opt in to the SPL system and take any remaining weeks as SPL. This means their partner could begin to take SPL while the mother is still on maternity/adoption leave.
While the intricacies of SPL can seem complicated, it simply enables parents to have greater flexibility in how they care for their child(ren). It can also give new mothers the opportunity to return to veterinary practice with the knowledge that their child is being cared for by their partner.
Shifting attitudes to shared parental leave
Statistics demonstrate that while the gender gap of total childcare time is decreasing, at present there is still an emphasis towards the mother taking most or all of the statutory leave.
According to a 2019 survey (British Social Attitudes) published by People Management:
- 12 percent of people felt the mother should take the entire period of maternity leave
- 40 percent of respondents felt mothers should take the majority of SPL (this being a smaller percentage than previous years, but still the most popular opinion)
- 34 percent supported equally shared parental leave
- less than 0.5 percent supported the partner taking most or all of the leave
Thus, while the emphasis is still towards more maternal use of maternity leave, these figures appear to be decreasing.
Dr Jill Miller, diversity and inclusion adviser at the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, noted the shift in attitudes among the public was “encouraging”. But she also said she believed the government and employers needed to do more to continue the progress and create opportunities.
The impact of cultural norms
In addition to navigating the complexities of SPL, another rationale for the low uptake and awareness of SPL is social expectations.
Encouraging employees to consider SPL and ensuring they understand their options may help to change the profession’s inherently traditional structure and support a healthy work–life balance
Cultural norms suggesting that mothers should be the primary carer for their children do persist in the UK. Yet, while these societal beliefs steer many women to continue to do more childcare and housekeeping than men, it is more difficult for them to progress at work. This, in turn, drives the gender pay gap and contributes to a lifelong loss of earnings for women.
Returning to work in the veterinary sector may seem daunting for a new parent, especially given current struggles with well-being in the sector. Therefore, encouraging employees to consider SPL and ensuring they understand their options may help to change the profession’s inherently traditional structure and support a healthy work–life balance.
How does SPL work for partners?
When the scheme launched in 2015, the TUC estimated that 40 percent of partners would not qualify for SPL, as it cannot be claimed by agency workers, those on zero-hours contracts and the self-employed. The government estimates that take-up among eligible couples is between 2 and 8 percent; however, Maternity Action’s analysis of the figures estimates that take-up is only between 3 and 4 percent. Although these figures differ, both demonstrate a low uptake of the new provision.
If couples qualify for SPL, the leave taken by the co-parent is often unpaid unless they work for a company that offers enhanced benefits
Partners can receive two weeks’ parental leave paid at £156.66 per week, compared with statutory maternity pay, which lasts 39 weeks and includes six weeks of “enhanced pay”. If couples qualify for SPL, the leave taken by the co-parent is often unpaid unless they work for a company that offers enhanced benefits. Those who work in large private and public sector organisations are most likely to receive extra leave benefits from employers for longer periods of parental leave and uptake is higher. The main deterrent to take parental leave was being unable to afford it.
Final thoughts
While the above demonstrates that SPL is not the most common option when employees are family planning, when managed effectively, the introduction of SPL can build employee engagement and loyalty and provide opportunities to develop teams. It is a critical step to achieving equality in the workplace and enabling more women to proceed into senior roles.
When managed effectively, the introduction of SPL can build employee engagement and loyalty and provide opportunities to develop teams
With well-being at the forefront of conversations in the veterinary sector, the above points, paired with the fear of returning to work following a long period of leave, provide a business case for practices to consider offering enhanced pay for SPL to promote the uptake of this type of family-friendly leave. This could, in turn, help to enhance employee satisfaction, recruitment and retention, which we know are prevalent topics in the sector.
