Employees of IKEA India, including men, will enjoy six months of parental leave, with full salary and benefits.
IKEA, the furniture retail multinational firm has just revealed its enhanced parental leave policy for employees in India. It will grant six months of parental leave to its staff, including men, with full salary and benefits. The policy is also applicable to surrogate and single parents and for adoptions.
In addition to the 26 weeks of leave, it will also allow its returning mothers to work reduced hours— by 50 per cent for another 16 weeks. The policy aims to support women and men in their roles as both parents and professionals.
In an endeavour to create a better everyday life for its people, IKEA comes forth as a truly value-driven company. Anna-Carin Mansson, country HR manager, IKEA India shares that gender balance and equal opportunities form the base to create a great place to work for all—men and women. She also mentioned that six months of parental leave is quite unique, not just in India, but also the world.
With the Parliament passing the Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Bill, 2016, last week, working women in the organised sector in India will now be entitled to a paid maternity leave of 26 weeks, up from 12 weeks earlier. However, there are no similar provisions for parental leave for fathers in India. Paternity leave ranges from a week to a month in the companies that offer leave to new fathers.
In addition to the leave, women employees at IKEA can also avail additional benefits, such as the option of reduced working hours while they are nursing, an additional two weeks of leave with full pay in the event of a tubectomy, leave with full pay and benefits for a maximum of one month in case of illness arising out of pregnancy, delivery or premature birth.
As part of its equal opportunity policies, IKEA is also reportedly planning daycare centres for employees’ children at each store it sets up. The first store is to open in Hyderabad next year. In line with the parental policy, the company also has long-term training and development plans that allow employees to pursue career paths even while raising a family. IKEA has 250 employees in India, and plans to add 500–800 employees for its Hyderabad store this year.