In terms of maternity and paternity leave, The United States lags behind many other developed nations. A lot of them. American company Netflix, however, is setting the bar incredibly high with a new family leave policy.
Netflix has announced that its instituting an unlimited family lave policy – for both new moms and new dads – for the first year.
This applies to both births and adoptions. Netflix says it’ll just keep paying its employees normally during the leave period.
Here’s what Netflix’s Chief Talent Officer Tawni Cranz had to say:
At Netflix, we work hard to foster a “freedom and responsibility” culture that gives our employees context about our business and the freedom to make their own decisions along with the accompanying responsibility. With this in mind, today we’re introducing an unlimited leave policy for new moms and dads that allows them to take off as much time as they want during the first year after a child’s birth or adoption.
We want employees to have the flexibility and confidence to balance the needs of their growing families without worrying about work or finances. Parents can return part-time, full-time, or return and then go back out as needed. We’ll just keep paying them normally, eliminating the headache of switching to state or disability pay. Each employee gets to figure out what’s best for them and their family, and then works with their managers for coverage during their absences.
Netflix’s continued success hinges on us competing for and keeping the most talented individuals in their field. Experience shows people perform better at work when they’re not worrying about home. This new policy, combined with our unlimited time off, allows employees to be supported during the changes in their lives and return to work more focused and dedicated.
People want to have babies, and people want to keep their jobs. This makes decisions difficult for a lot of Americans. This is a pretty bold move for Netflix – one that not only makes that decision easier but also, in the end, promotes more equality in the workplace.
