Around a third (34%) of UK employee respondents believe their organisation is supportive of shared parental leave, according to research by Ipsos Mori.
In a survey of 1,119 UK adults aged between 18 and 75, conducted in June 2019, 38% of female respondents agreed that their employer supports shared parental leave, compared to 30% of male respondents.
More than two-fifths (45%) of both parents and non-parents stated that the believe taking time off work to care for a child can have a negative impact on an individual’s job; 52% of respondents aged between 55 and 75 agreed with this, compared to 37% of those between 18 and 24.
Furthermore, 29% of women who have taken maternity leave noted that this had a detrimental effect on their career; only 13% of men noticed the same effects following periods of paternity leave.
Almost a third (32%) of respondents stated that they have a good understanding of their organisation’s shared parental leave policies; this rose to 42% among those aged between 25 and 34, compared to 27% of 55 to 75-year-olds.
Overall, 81% of respondents either agree or strongly agree that employers should be transparent about their shared parental leave policies.
Claire Timmins (pictured), director of HR at Ipsos Mori, said: “This research highlights the need to address the continued inequality concerning parental leave. Levels of awareness and understanding of the different policies on offer need to be significantly increased and it is clear that responsibility here lies with employers.”