By Danielle Foley
Senior Communication Consultant
Paid parental leave is a hot corporate benefit in the U.S., especially among millennials. But what happens when your company decides to make parental leave global?
Cultural differences and country regulations make communicating this benefit no easy feat. Here are some pitfalls to watch out for and tips for ensuring a smooth rollout.
Demonstrate senior leadership support. While actual benefits may differ by country, it’s critical to show unilateral support for the concept of parental leave at the highest levels of leadership. Suggested launch tactics include a post on the CEO’s blog, town hall meeting, webcast or video.
Be sensitive to cultural differences. Global attitudes about gender and family vary widely. For some men, in particular, there may be a stigma associated with taking parental leave. One client tackled this issue head-on with touching videos about the experiences of two new dads in Brazil and Japan.
Provide a customizable toolkit. One size definitely doesn’t fit all when it comes to global parental leave. A customizable toolkit with templates for employee emails, PowerPoint presentations, manager tip sheets, and article copy cuts down on the work for local communicators, and also ensures message consistency.
Get managers to walk the talk. Employees may feel reluctant to take leave because of the perceived impact on their careers. Managers should openly communicate their support for the policy, and actively encourage employees to take advantage of the benefit.
Anticipate the questions. Questions about how the global parental leave benefit will coordinate with country-specific maternity and paternity leave are inevitable. It’s smart to develop an exhaustive list of FAQs to help sites anticipate questions beforehand.
Don’t go it alone. Form a combined team with Corporate Communications early on. Brainstorm ways to tap into existing communication channels, or create impactful custom pieces. Identify a local point of contact in each country to serve as communications coordinator and hold regular touch base meetings.
Communication Insight
Successfully rolling out a global parental leave program is a big job. It takes planning, coordination, and commitment at all levels of the organization.
Need help with your plan? Contact us.