Stonegate Pub Company has enhanced its maternity and paternity provisions. Stonegate is now offering all salaried employees enhanced maternity and adoption pay, increasing to 12 weeks full pay; followed by 27 weeks of statutory maternity pay. The company’s enhanced paternity package now includes two weeks full pay. Stonegate has also committed to a full-pay package for time off for fertility treatment for all employees, both at head office and in its pub estate.
Salaried employees will also benefit from a phased return to work following maternity and adoption leave. Four weeks before returning to work full time, employees will receive full pay for working 50% week in the first two weeks, and then full pay for working 75% of the week in the second two weeks. Additionally, for salaried employees, sickness absence will be paid as Company Sick Pay in four weeks leading up to maternity leave rather than enforcing maternity leave at the time.
This new package is also being supported by additional training for Stonegate’s Area Managers with a guide as to how to manage and support maternity, adoption and paternity leave. This will involve a clear agreement with the “mother” regarding communications during maternity/adoption leave, it will also encourage the use of Keeping in Touch days and supporting the “father” on return to work from paternity leave.
This new reward and recognition package is just one initiative that is part of Stonegate’s wider wellbeing and wellness strategy. Employee welfare is a key business priority for Stonegate and is integral to supporting the business growth that has seen its employee base increase by 13% since 2017.
Tim Painter, Director of HR, said: “This is a significant improvement to the benefits package offered to our team here at Stonegate. These improvements highlight Stonegate’s commitment to recognising and rewarding our people. We understand the value of investing in our people, and ensuring we have a fair and diverse workforce that feels motivated. Enhanced maternity, paternity and fertility leave is just one of a number of initiatives that we have introduced which benefit existing employees, and help us find and attract the right people, encouraging them to build rewarding, long term careers with us – from bar to boardroom.”