Tips for proposing a new benefit to HR/Company?

Anonymous

May 16,2022 at 5:13PM UTC

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Tips for proposing a new benefit to HR/Company?

I've created a brief presentation for why our company should have parental leave benefits. I'm wondering the best way to show my employer. Do I just get a meeting with HR and say I have something I would like to discuss with you?

I just don't know where to start! I also am the only female in a childbearing age so I feel like it looks like it's only beneficial to me. I work in a male dominated industry and company and I know that some of them would be able to benefit from this. How to I come across as not doing this for selfish reasons? Or no matter what I do, it's going to be that way, and just make sure to frame it in a way that makes sense for everyone?

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Julie HumbirdMay 16,2022 at 6:30PM UTC
This is going to be heavily determined by how your organization values employee suggestions, feedback and retention. You might want to identify and include others to co-present this. You might have colleagues with specific examples of how this benefit would have improved their large life event of having a child.
AnonymousMay 17,2022 at 6:21PM UTC
That's a good point, I might do that!
we actually had a guy on our team have a baby & he had to use PTO, but then used the 1 week of paid leave that the company provides (which in my opinion is pretty worthless, but at least it's something)
AnonymousMay 16,2022 at 8:06PM UTC
Showing them why, but have considered showing them how this would work? A proposal of sorts. Stress to them that parental leave is not meant to be maternity leave. It gives any new parent - whether the parent the gave parent, the other parent, for foster placement or adoption (or whatever else), it gives the new parent(s) time off to bond with their new addition. I assume that you are talking fully paid without interruption in regular pay or benefits.
AnonymousMay 17,2022 at 6:28PM UTC
100% fully paid is what I'm going for. I have some stats that show it's actually better for employee retention and moral. Overall I'm going for Parental leave and not specifically Maternity leave because I do know Men need leave as well!
I'm just trying to make this make sense. My husband works for a different company and has as much leave as I do, but his is 100% paid, mine is short term disability... & no offense, I'm the one who did all the work and is actually recovering... Hopefully I can get mine up there!
AnonymousMay 16,2022 at 8:14PM UTC
Don't you think it's odd that you think you're the only person who this applies to in your company? I don't know how big your organization is but if they want to attract more diverse talent (which is a huge selling point), these kinds of benefits are a no-brainer. And parental leave by design is for all genders and birth situations - adoption, fostering, birth etc. It might be an oversight or it might be a strategy... You could position it as good for recruitment, good for employee satisfaction and find the research to back it up. A quick search will bring up lots of studies on this. Good luck to you!
AnonymousMay 17,2022 at 6:22PM UTC
Definitely a good point.
I'm a bit peeved to begin with because I was told they were updating their parental leave policies when I was hired, but that hasn't actually happened. I definitely agree that leave is a big selling factor, I just don't think Men always see the benefit as much as women. Especially if they haven't had a kid yet.
Maegan, Nike Sales Rep & Career CoachMay 17,2022 at 8:01PM UTC
Yes ! Let them know you have prepared something you would like to bring up as an employee benefit. In your presentation, I would include the benefits for both genders, especially the stats on how this is now a standard for companies to offer parental leave for women AND men.