Envato Enhances its Parental Leave Policy to Provide More Support for Growing Families

At Envato, we understand the importance of a healthy work-life balance and the role it plays in building strong, loving families. As a company, we always strive to provide a supportive and flexible environment for all our staff – including parents.

While the shift to remote and hybrid working has undoubtedly made it easier for many parents and caregivers to achieve a manageable work-life balance, many worldwide still report that they find it daunting to juggle work requirements and home duties. With research strongly suggesting that achieving a positive work-life balance improves quality of life and business outcomes, we believe that creating a flexible working environment is key to cultivating both a happy workplace and a happy home.  

In partnership with our parental support partners Grace Papers, Envato has recently announced enhancements to its ANZ Paid Parental Leave policy designed to provide even greater support to parents during significant life events.

“Congratulations to Envato on investing in a policy that aligns with their commitment to driving more inclusive outcomes for their employees,” says Prue Gilbert, CEO of Grace Papers. “Increasing paid parental leave, paying superannuation on both the paid and unpaid parental leave, and supporting their employees with on-demand coaching support throughout their parenting journey positions Envato as a leading employer in the tech sector. We are proud to partner with them.”

Here are some of the updates we’ve made to our Parental Leave policy to continue our ongoing commitment to enhance employee wellbeing.  

We are separating our paid parental leave policy from any government-paid parental leave entitlements and offering all primary carers 20 weeks of paid leave, including:

“‘As a soon-to-be first-time parent, it speaks volumes that Envato has enhanced their Parental Leave Policy,” says Envato People Experience Specialist Michelle Drake. “I feel truly supported as a professional and as a parent and don’t feel that one role has to come at the cost of the other, which, for me, is incredibly important.” 

Secondary carer leave is being extended from three weeks to six weeks. We understand that every family’s dynamics are unique, and this change acknowledges the importance of shared responsibilities and support for partners who play a critical role in childcare.

“The parental leave policy at Envato has always been great, but the updates are top tier and reflect where we should be societally,” says Tom Graham, new parent and Senior Video Editor at Envato. “I’ve just had my first child, and knowing that there was no issue with me taking time off both immediately after our son was born as well as in the future for primary carer leave – which I’ll elect to take when my wife transitions back to work next year – means I can enjoy this time with my family and not feel like I’m letting the team down.” 

Miscarriage can be a deeply personal and emotionally challenging experience. In recognition, we are increasing the miscarriage leave period from three to ten days to provide employees and their families with the time they need to recover and heal during this difficult time.

Envato will continue to pay Superannuation (AU) and KiwiSaver (NZ) on the paid and unpaid portion of the Primary Carer period for up to 12 months from the commencement of parental leave.

In addition, for full-time employees returning to work from parental leave on a part-time basis, Envato will contribute superannuation and KiwiSaver on a full-time basis for two years from the commencement date of their paid parental leave. 

“Women are retiring with less super than men,” says Envato’s Senior People Experience Manager, Claire March. “The median superannuation balance for men aged 60-64 years is $204,107, whereas it’s just $146,900 for women – a gap of 28%. A leading factor is women taking time out of the workforce to be the primary carer of young children and then returning to work part-time. This policy change aims to work towards closing this gap and ensuring equality for women and all other primary carers.” 

We hope these changes reflect our commitment to fostering an inclusive and supportive work environment for all our employees. For more information about our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, check out our most recent Diversity and Inclusion Report.