Saga to give employees paid leave for the birth of a grandchild

The grandchildren of all staff will also be given access to the company’s on-site nursery

(Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Saga, the travel and insurance company for people over 50, has said it will introduce a week of paid leave for employees to celebrate the birth of a grandchild.

The company is the first major UK business to offer the perk, and is doing so in “recognition of the role of grandparents to their families and society”.

The grandchildren of Saga’s 2,500 employees will also now have access to its onsite nursery, to give more support to working grandparents, it said.

The move comes after research conducted by Saga showed that a quarter of working grandparents said they found it “difficult” to balance work with childcare commitments.

Saga also cited research published in the Children and Society journal that revealed strong associations between grandparent involvement and grandchildren’s wellbeing.

The academic research suggested that grandparents may be under-recognised in the policy agenda.

Jane Storm, chief people officer at Saga, said: “This is about helping new grandparents celebrate a special moment and play a role in their growing families from day one.

“And it’s also a symbol of how important older workers are to their companies and to society. Working life is getting longer, but the first question many people over 50 still hear is ‘when are you going to retire?’.

“We want to change that mindset and show that age is no barrier to continued professional success.”

By 2030, 27.9 million people will be over the age of 50, making it the fastest-growing demographic in the UK.

Government data also shows that over-50s make up a sizeable proportion of the working age population, with 71 per cent of people aged between 50 and 64 still in work.

Justine Roberts, founder of Gransnet, welcomed Saga’s new policy and said: “We know from Gransnet users just how important it is that grandparents are able to provide much needed support to exhausted new parents – as well as getting the chance to meet the new arrival.

“But embracing family-friendly working practices isn’t just good news for employees,” she added.

“It also makes business sense. Employers who recognise the fact that their employees have relationships and responsibilities outside of work will reap the rewards of increased loyalty and staff wellbeing.”