Dana Denis-Smith comments that headline-grabbing ‘family friendly’ benefits should not overshadow the need for deep-rooted change
Over the summer, we saw city firms hit the headlines offering a raft of eye-catching perks and ‘landmark’ family friendly policies.
Ashurst introduced a new parental leave policy, which will see 26 weeks of fully paid leave offered to staff members, irrespective of gender. Legal staff will also have a three-month reduction in chargeable hours targets once they return to work.
The likes of Clifford Chance and Cooley have followed the lead of investment banks, such as Goldman Sachs, by introducing staff fertility benefits, including egg freezing and IVF.
These are positive developments – and recognition of the needs of employees that go beyond their work life – but can distract from the hard work o...
Many of us re-evaluated our lives during the pandemic – and for some, the lure of a hefty pay packet is no longer enough
