Synergy Group adopts industry-leading parental leave policy
Synergy Group has dramatically improved its parental leave policy, more than doubling entitlements for parents – regardless of gender.
The move sees the Canberra-based management consulting firm take a major step in helping (soon-to-be) mums and dads with spending more time at home during those “irreplaceable early years”, said Toni Marzulli, CEO at Synergy Group.
“Investing in our people is a critical part of who Synergy Group is, our team is our greatest asset. This new policy reaffirms our commitment to support any Synergite who is seeking a rewarding career and a family at the same time.”
Under the previous policy, mothers were entitled to 12 weeks leave and partners 2 weeks. The new policy sees parents’ entitlements bumped up to 26 weeks flexible paid leave regardless of gender or length of service.
The policy sees Synergy Group adopt one of the most generous parental leave schemes in the consulting industry. KPMG’s recently launched parental leave policy for instance provides its employees with 24 weeks of paid leave, while Deloitte currently offers its Australian employees a paid support period of 18 weeks.
Meanwhile, in May, Bain & Company announced its “industry-leading move” to extend its paid parental leave policy to up to 26 weeks – although 21 weeks are paid (the other weeks are noted as vacation).
In a heated talent market, consultancies are constantly evaluating new ways to improve their best-place-to-work culture and remain a top destination for talent. For Synergy Group, which has over 400 staff, that wasn’t the driver, asserted Marzulli. “This is less about competitive advantage and more about doing what is right.”
Having previously had a scheme favouring mothers (given their role as the primary caretaker), Marzulli added that the firm’s belief in diversity, equity and inclusion meant that the revision now sees both parents gain access to the same terms. “This is an important acknowledgement of the role both parents play in raising a child.”
One soon-to-be dad at the consultancy described this change as “a real game changer for me and my family. We are expecting our first child mid-January, and this new policy means that I can now play a bigger role in caring for our baby and take some of the load off my wife. It also means that my wife doesn’t need to put her career on hold for as long.”
Two weeks after coming into effect (23 September 2022), reactions to the new policy are overwhelmingly positive, said Marzulli. “We’re delighted to be giving our employees one more reason to be proud to work at Synergy Group.”
