Four UK companies that offer staff ‘life leave’ on top of a holiday allowance
Who wouldn’t want life leave at their company? (Picture: Getty Images)
There’s nothing more painful than having eat into your holiday allowance to move house, wait in for a tradesperson or cheer your kid on from the sidelines of their school sports day.
But there are a select few companies who understand, offering staff ‘life leave’, so they can keep their precious days off for things they actually want to do.
Becky Lloyd took to TikTok this week to share how jealous she was of her husband, whose employer offers this exact policy.
‘Every company out there offers perks, but they’re often perks people don’t actually need or want — apart from my husband’s company who offers “life leave”,’ she said in her video.
‘You can use [it] to take days off that don’t come out of your holiday allowance for important things in your life.’
While Becky has to use her allotted time off for their child’s parents evening or a loved one’s funeral, he’s able to book separate life leave days to do what he needs to.
And while there are restrictions and the allowance goes up to two weeks worth of life leave per year, she labelled it a ‘bl**dy fantastic perk’, adding: ‘Free fruit is nice – but I want life leave,’ she added.
Those in the comments agreed, branding it ‘amazing’ and calling for more employers to adopt this perk.
So here at Metro, we had a sniff around for any companies that actually offer this ‘life leave’. While they were few and far between, we found a handful that go that extra mile…
Molson Coors
This brewing company owns brands you know and love like Rekorderlig Cider, Coors, Carling and Doom Bar – and a light buzz isn’t the only thing it offers.
Back in 2019 it launched two weeks of paid life leave for its 2,000 employees in the UK and Ireland to aid their wellbeing of its workers.
This is separate from its existing 31 day holiday allowance, bank holidays and compassionate or sick leave, and can be used for things like settling in a new pet, moving house, studying for exams or making the final preparations for a wedding.
You can take time off with life leave when you get a puppy (Picture: Getty Images)
Clarion Housing Group
This housing association is also in the know, although its offering isn’t quite as generous as the former.
It gives staff what it calls ‘life event leave’ which is pretty much the same thing, but is made up of a flexible pot of five days paid holiday a year to cover ‘significant personal situations’.
That’s in addition to the 30 days annual leave employees are entitled to after working there for more than three years.
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Magenta Associates
Not only does this communications consultancy offer a form of life leave, it also has some other pretty wild perks.
Employees here are allowed to book ‘moments that matter’, which are days off, outside annual leave, for things like moving house, getting a new pet or getting married.
A company breakfast and 1pm finish is offered by Magenta Associates too (Picture: Getty Images)
The benefits don’t stop there though! Workers can also finish at 1pm on Fridays, get their birthday off, and have a drink on the company with a Thursday pub fund/
Did we mention the free team breakfast on Mondays and the annual team trip? We’re crying at our desk right now too.
AMBITIOUS
This strategic communications agency, which looks after the likes of the NHS and Deloitte, also tries to lessen the load for its staff, although not on the scale of its competitors here.
It provides three days per year for when employees need some extra time off for ‘personal stuff’ – whatever that may be for you.
This is on top of a 3pm finish on Fridays during June, July and August, and the option of a paid sabbatical after five years at the company.
The firm also gets bonus points for having a fully funded private menopause consultation.
Honourable mention for pet parents
Getting a new pet falls under a valid reason for taking life leave, but PR company Goho has taken it a step further.
It offers ‘pawternity leave’ – a week off work fully paid when you adopt a dog – alongside an additional hour break per day in week two of owning the pet, so you can ‘give them extra attention’.
Pawternity leave is something we need in our lives (Picture: Getty Images)
Stacey-Rebekka Karlsson, founder and MD of Goho, implemented this after she adopted a rescue pup from Romania.
‘It was launched to support diverse family and lifestyle goals, as in this modern age, the traditional family unit has changed so dramatically,’ she said.
‘I’ve pondered what family means to different people, and the traditional mum, dad, and kids set up isn’t for everyone anymore – so I’m really excited to announce Pawternity Leave.’
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