By Angela Green
Catering News is sponsored by Two Services
BaxterStorey has announced enhancements to its benefits package, designed to provide team member support. The enhancements include 24 weeks paid maternity leave, aligning with the company’s commitment to nurture team member wellbeing, championing a culture of inclusivity and diversity and promoting gender equity and equality across the industry.
Understanding that each team member’s journey is unique, and respecting the need for a healthy work/life balance, BaxterStorey has developed a benefits package to support its 8,000 UK team members which covers various life stages and circumstances, including:
Enhanced Maternity Leave
In an industry-first move, BaxterStorey has introduced an enhanced maternity leave package offering 24 weeks of fully paid leave. This groundbreaking policy ensures new mothers have the support they need to balance the demands of work and family, setting a new benchmark for employee care in the hospitality industry.
Inclusive Secondary Carer Leave
To acknowledge the evolving roles within families, the company replaces its paternity leave policy with a more inclusive secondary carer leave. New parents, regardless of gender, can now enjoy four weeks of paid leave to support their partners during the crucial early stages of parenthood.
Support, Surrogacy, Adoption and Fertility Treatment
Recognising the importance of diverse paths to parenthood, BaxterStorey has introduced 24 weeks of paid leave for team members involved in surrogacy or adoption processes. The company is also proud to offer four weeks of full pay for each period of fertility treatment, underscoring its commitment to supporting team members through their personal journeys towards parenthood.
Paid Grandparent Leave
To recognise the vital role of extended families, BaxterStorey has introduced three days of paid grandparent leave, allowing team members to spend quality time with their grandchildren and nurture family bonds.
Further benefits offered include access to Aviva Wellbeing Hub, which allows team members to take advantage of an annual health check and access to digital GPs, supporting employees struggling with NHS waiting lists.
BaxterStorey, operating with a food-with-purpose mindset, is also ensuring that the Wellbeing Hub provides mental health and nutritional consultations for team members and their families, complimented with its ‘Food and Mood’ tours that educate and inspire teams and customers on good food, nutrition, and wellbeing.
The enhanced benefits package not only addresses the specific needs of its team members but also aims to encourage greater gender diversity within the hospitality industry. By providing comprehensive support for women through enhanced maternity leave and fertility treatment assistance, the company aspires to attract and retain more female talent in an industry where representation has historically been lower.
Arran McDowell, People Director at BaxterStorey, said: “Working with our Women in Hospitality network RISE, we have created a new and enhanced benefits package that supports our team members through both the good and challenging times, throughout their career journey.
“We’ve listened to the needs of our people and what matters to them, and our enhanced benefits package is another huge step forward for us in championing an inclusive workplace culture. We hope it drives positive change in the industry, creating a more equitable workplace to support talent attraction and retention.”
Catering News is sponsored by Two Services
