One in five younger workers in the UK have quit their job

New research shows that employers who do not offer sufficient parental leave risk losing top talent.

A quarter of 18–34-year-olds did not apply for a job as a result of a perceived lack of support for parents.

One in five (18%) 18–34-year-olds have quit their job due to poor parental leave policies, with a further 25% of younger workers saying they decided not to apply for a job because they thought the employer’s parental leave policies were inadequate.

The research, commissioned by Vodafone UK which includes an Opinium poll of over 2,000 adults, highlights the growing importance of strong parental leave policies among the British public, and especially those aged 18-34.

More than a third (37%) of people, and more than half (55%) of 18–34-year-olds, would be more likely to apply for a job if they knew the employer had good parental leave policies.

The study shows that employees place importance on an organisation having good parental leave policies even before having children, as the average age for non-birthing parents is 34.

Vodafone’s Global Parental Leave Policy offers 16 weeks of fully paid leave to all non-birthing parents, regardless of gender, sexual orientation or length of service, allowing for more equitable caring responsibilities and minimising the impact on the career of new parents.

Clare Corkish, HR Director, Vodafone UK said:

Employers have everything to gain from giving their employees the right support when they become parents.

“Improving parental leave is the right thing to do and it makes good business sense. Prospective employees look closely at how employers treat new parents, and they act on what they see.

“If employers want to attract the best talent, they need to create a great place to work and robust parental leave policies are one of the best ways of showing this.

“Vodafone believes that supporting new parents makes a better working environment for all of our employees and helps support more equal caring responsibilities for both parents.

“We offer a minimum of 16 weeks of fully paid leave to all employees and support a phased returned to work after their child arrives by working for 30 hours a week for the first six months back at work at full pay.”

The research makes recommendations for both the Government and employers on how to provide greater support for new parents and caregivers in the workplace.

This includes advice on flexible working practices where possible, reviewing the effectiveness of shared parental leave, considering whether the statutory right to up to two weeks of paternity leave is still fit for purpose and providing the digital tools for employers to support flexible working.

Caroline Nokes MP, Chair of the Women and Equalities Committee said:

The challenge of combining work and parenting is not a new one, but the findings of this survey are really stark.

“We have to do better in supporting new parents in the workplace, to make sure they can progress with their careers as well as being brilliant parents.”