A travel and and insurance company for over 50s is giving grandparents a week’s paid leave at the birth of their grandchild.
Saga, which employs 2,500 people, said it wanted to show older workers how important they were to society and their companies.
It also says it wants to build a work culture that appeals to the over-50s.
Jane Storm, the chief people officer at Saga said: “This is about helping new grandparents celebrate a special moment and play a role in growing families from day one”
“Our customers are mostly over 50 and we want to have more colleagues here that reflect the community we serve. We also think this idea should be a key attraction for retention and recruitment.”
Grandparents shouldn’t have to stop working because of family commitments
All Saga staff also have access to the nursery at its headquarters in Kent for their grandchildren.
Government research says more than half of mothers need childcare help from grandparents after maternity leave.
Age UK says around 40 percent of grandparents between 51 and 64 care regularly for their grandchildren, while 71 percent of those work.
28 million people in the UK are expected to be older than 50 by 2030, and it is the fastest growing age demographic.
Ms Storm said: “As a purpose-led business we have a responsibility to build a representative, multigeneration workforce fit for the future, that serves the needs of our customers.
Earlier government plans scrapped
In 2016, the Government announced it would allow grandparents to share parental leave. It said this would be implemented by 2018, but it was scrapped shortly after.
In a discussion with HRreview on BBC Radio 4, MP for Camberwell and Peckham Harriet Harman, called for the government to reinstate the consultation and when reinstated, to help businesses cover the costs.
According to the government, nearly two million grandparents had either reduced their working hours, taken time off or given up work entirely to care for their grandchildren.
Feyaza Khan has been a journalist for more than 20 years in print and broadcast. Her special interests include neurodiversity in the workplace, tech, diversity, trauma and wellbeing.
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