HSBC goes family friendly

General union Unite has succeeded in its campaign to make banking giant HSBC improve its policy for new parents returning to work. The union has welcomed the bank’s decision to give new parents returning to work after maternity, paternity or adoption leave the option to come back to work on a part-time basis.

The union has been campaigning since 2009 for returning employees to be able to return to their previous contract on a part-time basis rather than finding themselves forced to accept work on a lower grade or position in order to meet their family needs. Unite successfully argued that this was a waste of talent.

David Fleming, Unite national officer, said: “Flexible working will be welcomed by staff and managers across the organisation. This commitment to equalities is very progressive. Unite hopes that other employers will now follow the lead of HSBC and introduce similar family-friendly policies.”