TURNER has introduced its new Paid Parental Leave policy, which encourages greater work-life balance for employees and will align gender numbers in future.
The practice will offer a minimum of six weeks of paid leave to any parent irrespective of gender, with the length of leave scaling up in weeks dependent on years of service. Those who have worked for TURNER for five years or more are able to access a maximum of 18 weeks of pay, with super included.
TURNER Head of People & Culture, Sika Fernandez (pictured top), says the decision to make leave available to both men and women has been made in a bid to promote equality and circumvent the culture of fathers taking minimal leave upon the birth of their children.
“All parents should have the right to spend time with their new child, and this may help open up the conversation around which parent returns to work and when,” she says.
If Paid Parental Leave was consistent across the board for every parent, we might see more women return to work earlier and feel less pressure to be the primary caretaker in the first months.
“I’m very happy to be one of the only architecture practices to offer this level of leave.”
Flexible working arrangements, free counselling services (extended to employees’ immediate families), ample staff culture events and training opportunities are additionally on offer for TURNER’s staff. Fernandez says employee happiness is key to the practice’s blossoming workplace culture.
“Our goal is to be an employer of choice for the architecture and design industry. We’re a great team and we love what we do. We want to make sure the talents of our team are recognised.”
For more information, visit www.turnerstudio.com.au.
