How we’re supporting our colleagues on International Men’s Day

Today is International Men’s day, an initiative launched in 1999.

Globally, there are specific issues which affect men - including those who are parents in the workplace. For instance, the way childcare systems are arranged can make it harder for men to have the flexibility they need from employers when they become parents – particularly when their children are very young.

Here at Ofcom we’re committed to continue being an employer of choice for working parents and carers.

To support this, today we have doubled our paternity leave offering to eight weeks full pay.

And to provide a fairer opportunity for parents to have more flexibility to decide how they want to share care for their child in the first year, we have an enhanced shared parental leave policy of 20 weeks on full pay followed by 19 weeks on half pay.

This is a really positive change and one that will make a real difference. I remember how hard it was going back to work two weeks after my daughter was born and so it’s really exciting to know that this time around we’ll have eight weeks of quality time together as a family.

Calum Gruer, principal economist, Ofcom

Recognising the important role Dads and Co-Parents play in family life is key to achieving true gender equality – and being there in the early weeks of a child’s life is invaluable. We have a great set of family-friendly policies at Ofcom and we are pleased to make this move today to double paternity leave to 8 weeks. Happy International Men’s Day!

Kerri-Ann ONeill, people and transformation director, Ofcom

If you’re interested in joining Ofcom and taking advantage of these benefits and more, take a look at our current vacancies.