Cushman & Wakefield UK has launched new HR policies allowing employees to take additional paid leave to home school their children while schools are closed or to undertake volunteering activities to support the NHS COVID-19 vaccination programmes.
The firm has updated its special leave entitlement to give working parents of school-age children in the UK an additional seven days of paid leave on top of the three days-per-year which all UK employees already receive to care for dependents.
George Roberts, Head of UK & Ireland at Cushman & Wakefield, said: “The COVID-19 pandemic has really shone a light on our people beyond the workplace. While many of us have enjoyed seeing cameos from children and wider families over video calls, we also recognise how challenging it can be for colleagues who are juggling work, childcare and home schooling, particularly for single parents or households where both parents work. We are committed to supporting colleagues and wanted to remove some of the stress that comes with these additional responsibilities.”
Cushman & Wakefield is also supporting two paid volunteering days per month, to be taken during the first half of 2021, to any UK employees wanting to volunteer to support the rollout of the COVID-19 NHS Vaccination Programme. Again, this is in addition to the firm’s existing policy which allows two paid days per year for volunteering.
Steve Moore, Head of HR, UK & Ireland, at Cushman & Wakefield, said: “We’ve launched these ‘special leave’ initiatives in recognition of the impact of the ongoing COVID-19 restrictions. While paid time off for home schooling is focused on our working parents and their children, we are proud to also support colleagues in making a wider contribution to fighting the pandemic by offering time off in support of the NHS vaccination roll out.”