HSBC guarantees women returners part-time roles at pro-rata pay

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Mother With Baby Working Part-time In Office At Home

HSBC is set to offer all new parents a part-time role at a pro-rata salary and the same level as their original role following maternity or paternity leave.

The bank will offer returning parents a part-time role equivalent to at least two and a half days a week in a bid to help their employees balance the demands of family life with their career development.

HSBC says the new policy recognises the difficulties many parents face juggling work and home and claims to be the first large corporate in the UK to guarantee part-time work when it is requested.

Sue Jex, Head of Employee Relations at HSBC, said: “As a business we see about 1,100 staff each year taking parental leave following childbirth and of this number, 87% want to return to work. By guaranteeing our returning parents part-time roles, we are supporting our staff by offering more flexible working patterns in order to help balance the need for childcare while maintaining household income.”

HSBC also supports staff who are looking for extended leave by allowing year long unpaid sabbaticals and a priority returner scheme for staff rejoining the bank within five years.

Joe Garner, Head of HSBC in the UK: “We want our employees to know we value their talent and experience. By guaranteeing part-time work at a pro-rata salary we hope we can help them balance the demands of family life with their on-going careers at HSBC.”

Jex adds: “Some people assume that once people are parents, they are no longer interested in career progression and this has sometimes been an excuse for why there are not more women represented in senior business roles and at board level. At HSBC we are committed to bringing more women into senior positions. We hope that by guaranteeing part-time roles we can encourage those women who want to continue to their careers and allow them to reach the levels to which they aspire.”