Caltex Australia return-to-work initiative drives increase in workforce

Three years ago, Caltex started adding bonus to help mothers transition back to work. Now, the company is expecting to reap similar benefits from the initiative. According to the latest data, Caltex saw a 25 per cent increase in the number women going back to work and developing their careers following childbirth.

Caltex launched the BabyCare package in 2012 as part of its efforts to help female employees get back on track following their parental leave. The previous tend showed mothers unable to transition successfully back to the work because of financial and practical concerns. Balancing out career with family also became a challenge.

According to Alena Mackie -- Caltex Head of Capability, Performance and Reward -- the initiative comes with a 3 per cent quarterly bonus (12 per cent per annum) plus support in finding the right childcare. These efforts helped the company drive the number of female employees returning to work.

“Our analysis shows that new mothers are not only returning to work at Caltex but choosing to
stay with us once they do, confirming once again the importance of focusing on the transition back to work just as much as providing parental leave,” Mackie said in a statement.

Caltex's BabyCare package along with similar initiatives earned the company an Employer of Choice for Gender Equality (EOCGE) from Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA).

“Caltex has taken some big strides in terms of improving its gender equality over recent years, but our journey continues,” explained Mackie.

“We are particularly pleased with our negligible gender pay differential of 1.1 percent on a like-for-like basis and the significant progress that we’re making towards our goal to increase the number of female senior leaders across our organisation."

Business development manager Mabelle Reyes said that the bonus made employees comfortable about returning to work. Many female employees come back to work on a part-time basis around two to three days. In her case, Reyes works thrice a week from home. According to the Financial Review, aside from the 12 per cent bonus, accessible to mothers until their child turns two, Caltex also gives 12 weeks worth of paid leave. Fathers get eight weeks paid leave on top of five emergency nanny services per year until the child turns two.

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