Aviva Singapore allows sixteen weeks of maternity and paternity leave

The new leave policy aims to bring about diversity and inclusion in the work culture with no impediments to career progression.

Aviva Singapore has announced the facility of sixteen weeks’ parental leave at full pay for all employees regardless of gender, nationality, sexual orientation and marital status.

This new parental leave policy is part of the Aviva Group’s strategy to create a diverse and inclusive work culture, where barriers to career progression are removed. The new policy will be rolled out in Singapore, UK, Ireland, France, and Canada, and further to other locations by next year.

The new parental leave is applicable within the first twelve months of a child’s arrival and it covers both birth and/or adoption of a child. Employees who have a new child twice within a year are entitled to sixteen weeks of parental leave each time, which can be utilised within a year of the arrival of each child.

There is no limit to the number of children an employee has. Also, if both the parents are employees of Aviva, each will have their own entitlement to leave and pay, which they can take at the same time. This parental leave policy is applicable to employees at all levels.

Employees who have a new child twice within a year are entitled to sixteen weeks of parental leave each time, which can be utilised within a year of the arrival of each child.

As more companies are moving towards employee happiness, engagement and better employee benefits, the focus on parental leave has increased over the years. It is important that the new parents get time off from work for their children. The parental leave not only supports the employees, but also creates a good image of the employer. It further helps attract and retain talent.

The new parental leave policy for Aviva employees is effective from November 19. This is in addition to the already existing parental leave policy, such as shared parental leave of up to four weeks, childcare leave of six days, extended childcare leave for two days, and new infant care leave for six days unpaid.

The eligibility to avail these leaves is to have a minimum of three months of continuous service at Aviva.

Mark Wilson, group chief executive officer, Aviva plc said: “I want to live in a world where the only criterion for success is someone’s talent, not their gender. Treating parents equally will help make this happen. We want Aviva to be a progressive, inclusive, welcoming place to work. It’s good for our people and also makes good business sense.”

Nishit Majmudar, chief executive officer at Aviva Singapore, said: “Welcoming a child to the family is one of the happiest moments for a parent. Amidst the joy and excitement, work should be the last thing on their minds. At Aviva, we want to foster a culture, which encourages our people to be closely involved in their child’s early years—a precious experience that we believe should be shared equally among dads as well as mums.”

He further adds “Aviva is a strong advocate of work–life balance, and has been committed to supporting our employees’ lives outside of work through a range of flexi-working arrangements. Introducing the new parental leave policy is a bold and iconic action that strongly aligns with Aviva’s values, and allows us to be truly inclusive. I am very proud that we are leading the market in helping our employees balance work and family.”