Kristal, Cinthia Shields’ daughter, was going through a difficult pregnancy. So when the twins arrived a little early, the grandmother hopped from Golden, Colorado, on a plane to Phoenix, Arizona. And she was able to care for her first granddaughter Kora, while parents focused on the newborns at the hospital.
Mme Shields, 60, has enjoyed a rare advantage in corporate America. His employer, SentinelOne, a cybersecurity expert company, granted him five days of paid leave, reserved for grandparents. Then, she was able to resume her work remotely, while the new parents got organized. “I wasn’t under pressureshe said, grateful. I felt morally and financially supported by my company. »
These special holidays are especially welcome in America because vacation time is limited. There is no legal obligation, everything depends on the goodwill of the company: thus, private sector employees regularly have around ten or fifteen days of leave per year. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, only 71% of employees at companies with fewer than 50 employees had access to leave in 2021. After ten years of work, 33% of industry employees received fifteen to ten -nine days, and 17% over twenty-four days.
“We try to meet the needs of our entire workforceexplains Divya Ghatak, director of human resources at SentinelOne. I first worked on maternity leave. I extended them to sixteen weeks. » Mme Ghatak then eliminates the distinction between sexes: men and women benefit from the same leave to welcome a child. Then it extends maternity coverage to grandparents. ” Them too, she insists, are part of the labor force. And they have their own needs. » SentinelOne management wants to have a diverse workforce. Fifteen percent of employees are over 50 and Mme Ghatak is keen to keep these experienced employees. “Hiring and training a new employee is expensiveshe notes. Our business will grow faster if we retain experienced staff. »
“A small gesture” that “says a lot”
So far, only a handful of SentinelOne employees have used grandparents’ leave. This device, notes Rich Fuerstenberg, consultant of the Mercer group, is “a niche program”, intended to respond to an increasingly varied workforce. It is a tool for recruiting and retaining troops. “The job market is still tighthe said. And this kind of à la carte advantage allows you to differentiate yourself from other employers. »
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