Family Leave Policies at Wates Group

We have industry-leading family leave policies.  These policies are designed to attract and develop a diverse workforce with an inclusive mindset, as well as helping to close the gender pay gap by enabling more sharing of responsibilities at work and home. 

The changes we have introduced include:

• Increasing paternity/partner leave to eight weeks full pay, more than a fourfold increase on the current policy;
• Increasing maternity leave to 26 weeks full pay, and a further 26 weeks Statutory Maternity Pay, doubling the amount of full pay staff members have access to;
• Introducing carers leave for the first time to ensure all members of staff can take up to four weeks unpaid leave in a year;
• Improving bereavement leave to include two weeks of full pay at this difficult personal time of losing a member of immediate family.

Wates will also continue to match enhanced entitlement for shared parental leave and adoption leave with maternity leave and pay.

The new policies reflect the changing expectations of talent and will enable both men and women to manage personal and professional commitments as part of a balanced and healthy lifestyle.

The introduction of carers leave reflects a growing reality for many in the UK and cements Wates position as a leader in the construction industry. Figures from the Carers Trust show that one in 10 people in the UK are caring for friends or family equating to seven million people. The increase of the so-called sandwich generation those caring for both children and elderly parents means that three in five of us will become carers at some point in our lives.

The changes are tangible actions to help the business achieve targets set out in last year in Wates Diversity and Inclusion plan: #WatesTogether. This outlined a long-term blueprint for creating a business where everyone is welcomed, included and connected. Targets include (by 2025):

• Having a workforce which is more reflective of society, with 60% men, 40% women, 20% BAME, 3% with a disability and 5% LGBTQ+ across all levels of the business
• 50% of the Groups early careers intake to be female
• 5% of new recruits will be career returners.

The Group which is the first construction partner for Young Women's Trust will use the partnership to help drive forward change in the industry and to support women aged 18 to 30 who are on low or no pay and are at risk of poverty. The partnership is expected to support the Young Women's Trusts ambition to help 15,000 disadvantaged women over the next three years.