As a modern corporate group with headquarters in Frankfurt and Münster, we aim to offer our employees the best possible working environment. A family-friendly work culture is particularly close to our hearts, as this is the only way we can actively promote the compatibility of career and family and thus also equality - a task with the highest priority, especially in times of a shortage of skilled workers. That's why we are delighted to announce that we are introducing ten days of paid leave for expectant fathers with immediate effect. "With this, we are once again ahead of our time. It is extremely important to set an example here so that the new normal is fully accepted by society, just as fathers on parental leave are now no longer an exception," says Anja Scheffka, Chief Operating Officer of the fintus Group.
With the decision to grant two weeks of paid leave to the fathers-to-be in our corporate group, we are not only complying with the EU directive well ahead of its official implementation in Germany, but also want to send out a signal that as an employer we are aware of the responsibility we bear towards our employees and their families.
With the introduction of paid paternity leave, the corporate group is positioning itself as a pioneer in Germany, because the aforementioned EU Directive on work-life balance for parents and caregivers (2019/1158), which provides for ten days of paid paternity leave immediately after the birth of the child, has already been implemented in some countries, but not yet in Germany. The economic situation in Germany is currently difficult, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises, which is why the two-week post-birth leave for the partner will not come into force in Germany until 2024.
The premature introduction of paid paternity leave is an important step for the corporate group to facilitate the reconciliation of family and career and at the same time strengthen the bond between employer and employee.
Paid paternity leave offers fathers-to-be the opportunity to concentrate fully on their family and the arrival of the new family member. In the first days and weeks after birth, the child needs a lot of care and attention. Paternity leave is designed to allow fathers to fully enjoy this time and focus entirely on their family without having to worry about their job.
But paid paternity leave is not only a great advantage for the fathers themselves; there are also positive effects for the family and the corporate group. Mothers, for example, can concentrate fully on regeneration and recovery after the birth. As a result, the employer benefits from more satisfied employees who feel comfortable in a family-friendly work culture and commit themselves to the group in the long term.
As a family-friendly employer, we want to continue our efforts to improve the compatibility of family and career in the future. We are convinced that this is not only in the interests of our employees and their families, but also leads to greater productivity and satisfaction within the group.
Benjamin Hermanns, CEO and founder of the group, explains: “We are proud to set an example with the introduction of paid paternity leave and to position ourselves as a modern and family-friendly employer. We hope that this will encourage other companies to take similar measures and work towards a better work-life balance.”