At Procter & Gamble (P&G), our journey towards a parent-friendly work culture has been driven by our core value of CARE—Caring for our people and their families. Recognizing the evolving needs of our diverse workforce, we are continuously adapting our policies to support Employees at their different Life Stages (Including working parents). Initiatives such as the 'Share the Care' parental leave policy, which offers eight weeks of fully paid leave to all new parents, and the 'Flex Fund’ program, providing financial flexible support for employees’ daily needs, exemplify our commitment. These programs are designed to alleviate the challenges faced by employees, enabling them to balance professional responsibilities with family care effectively. By fostering an inclusive and supportive environment, we aim to empower our employees to thrive both at work and at home.

Our Benefits portfolio revolves around 4 Pillars of wellbeing (Financial, Mental, Physical & WorkLife) taking into account different life stages of employees. At P&G we hire for a career and not a job, hence we operate under a promote from within principle where all our high level management roles are staffed from our current pool of employees. This principle leads to an organization with a high average tenure where employees join as fresh grads and become parents and/or spouses during their career. Hence when developing our policies we keep in mind majority of our employees may become parents and adapt accordingly on how we can support. By joining the movement towards a parent-friendly workplace, we aim to set a standard for others to follow, fostering a culture where all employees can thrive without compromising their family responsibilities.

One initiative we are particularly proud of is the Flex Fund' program, launched in September 2024 as a first-of-its-kind holistic support policy. This program offers Employees flexible choices across their daily needs, in which the company will financially support on top of our core benefits offered. It includes additional financial support on Nurseries, Schools, Housemaids, Extracurricular activities of children, Support for caretakers of children with PWD to cover special institute schooling, Therapy or anything else required. Employees can use the flex fund to cover their health needs such as Gym memberships, Meal Plans, Wellness Treatments or even pay their utility bills. The impact has been profound, with employees describing the program as a "game changer" and a "positive intervention" that has alleviated financial stress and provided reassurance during challenging times. This initiative exemplifies our commitment to inclusivity and support for all employees, ensuring they can balance their professional and caregiving responsibilities effectively.

Shifting to a parent-friendly workplace brings numerous benefits that extend beyond employee satisfaction. It enhances employee retention by fostering loyalty and reducing turnover rates. When employees feel supported in their roles as parents, they are more likely to remain with an organization that values their well-being. Additionally, such workplaces attract top talent, as prospective employees seek environments that offer work-life balance and family support. Parent-friendly policies also lead to increased productivity, as employees experience less stress and are better able to focus on their tasks. Moreover, these policies contribute to a positive organizational culture, promoting inclusivity and diversity. As societal norms evolve, organizations that prioritize family support position themselves as leaders in corporate responsibility and social progress. In the UAE context, where work-life balance is increasingly valued, adopting parent-friendly practices aligns with national initiatives like the Parent-Friendly Label, reinforcing an organization's commitment to the community and its workforce

“Paternity leave was invaluable for me, allowing me to be by my wife’s side during the critical first days of our child's life, especially since we had no family support based in the UAE. This opportunity to care for my newborn and establish a connection during those early moments was truly incredible.” – Mohsen Atat, Senior Finance Manager

“P&G’s benefits portfolio is unparalleled, offering highly competitive and uniquely flexible benefits that cover physical well-being through comprehensive health plans, mental well-being via counseling and wellness programs, and financial well-being with robust retirement and savings options. The eight-week paternal leave for fathers supported my family bonding, reflecting P&G’s commitment to inclusivity. This exceptional program makes it hard to leave or consider another company.” – Ali Wanas, Regulatory Affairs Director

"The Flex Fund has been a significant relief, especially with the rising cost of living. I genuinely appreciated, especially that it directly helps with my nursery fees, making a real difference to my family's finances." - Mohamad Saksouk - Purchases Director

One of our working parents, who lives in Abu Dhabi and commutes to Dubai, greatly benefited from our flexible work arrangements. By allowing her to work from home several days a week and adjust her hours, she was able to attend her children's school events, such as performances and parent-teacher meetings, which she previously had to miss due to her work schedule.

This flexibility not only reduced her stress from the long commute but also improved her overall job satisfaction. She reported feeling more connected to her family, which positively impacted her mental well-being and productivity. Being present for her children during crucial moments allowed her to foster stronger relationships, while still meeting her professional responsibilities.

Moreover, this arrangement enabled her to manage unexpected situations, like a sick child, without the anxiety of taking unpaid leave or compromising her work commitments. By supporting her in balancing her professional and personal life, we’ve created an environment where she feels valued and empowered, leading to enhanced loyalty and a more motivated team member.

One notable example involved insights gathered from our annual employee engagement survey, which revealed a recurring theme around our benefits coverage not being enough across different elements (Schooling, Nurseries, Insurance, etc) vs the market average.

We took this feedback and collaborated on how we can enhance these specific benefits. A major obstacle we faced is how will these changes come across to the broader organization (For example, if we increase school support you only impact a certain percentage of the organization, while the rest of employees do not benefit from this). That is where we came up with the idea of the Flex Fund. The Flex Fund would enable us to offer all employees (including parents) the option of choosing which benefit they would need additional financial support on and utilize it to their preference.

Within six months of rolling out these initiatives, follow-up pulse surveys showed a 15% increase in Satisfaction with our Total Benefits portfolio. This outcome directly illustrated how leveraging employee feedback could uncover hidden challenges and guide practical, high-impact solutions.