Supporting parents, wherever they live in the world

I’ve now been with lululemon for more than six months, and it’s been exciting on many levels. Three weeks ago, 1,200 of our top leaders came together for a global leadership summit in Vancouver. Store managers gathered from around the world, with our largest contingent yet from Asia and Europe.

Among many moments that week, one stood out, and it had to do with how we can all support one another to live our dreams of being a parent.

As a father of four children, I know it’s not easy for everyone to fulfill their dreams of being a parent, especially given how far some countries lag behind others in terms of providing parental leave.

Early in my career in Canada, perhaps I took for granted the value in a new parent being able to spend many months with their newborn child before returning to work.

So, as I traveled the world, and saw the balancing act of parents through a global lens, clearly many countries get it right (i.e., United Kingdom, France, and Sweden, etc.) Others, however, lag far behind. The data says it all: for instance, in the U.S., basic legislation offers 12 weeks of leave, but it’s unpaid. Twenty-five percent of American women must go back to work in just two weeks to make ends meet.

All of this raises the question for any senior leader: what responsibilities do global companies have to level the playing field?

In making a significant purpose-led investment, there are four logical and emotional steps leaders ought to consider:

1.  It’s hard to argue that “doing right” for employees is not a good business decision. Yet many businesses struggle with these issues, often because of cost. And in challenging times, the balance of “doing right” with cost effectiveness can be hard for even the most committed executives.
2. Objectively evaluate your purpose and assess if the initiative you’re considering is true to who you are. Don’t try to just keep up with other companies and follow the latest trend. Take actions that ensure your employees and guests understand your brand better because of the policy you’re considering. You cannot “do it all” -- but you can identify opportunities that powerfully align to your values and culture.
3. Recognize that the benefits can be significant, but they take time to materialize. And the commitment and decision take a leap of faith and trust to move forward. Over time, brands who align with their purpose can see benefits such as employee engagement, reduction in turnover, improved recruitment, positive brand perception among others.
4. Make this a collective decision – and investment – of your entire leadership team. Moving forward requires the support and investment of the entire leadership team. Each member owns ways to offset the cost, across an enterprise, the funding can be found.

At lululemon, the commitment of the leadership team led to a creative solution and strong business case to create a new program for our employees and we were all excited to announce the news last month at our global leadership summit.

Our new parental leave program takes effect in May across lululemon globally and provides paid parental leave of up to three months for employees who have been with us for two years, and paid leave of up to six months after five years of employment. More than 50 percent of our full-time employees in the U.S. have reached that two-year milestone, with almost 20 percent reaching the five-year threshold.

For us, this was a natural decision because it fully embodies our purpose to unleash the full potential within every one of us. And full potential means investing in the whole human, both inside and outside of work.

When we shared the program with our 1,200 leaders, it was met with an electric, emotional response. And, during a magical moment, one employee shared his story – that he had given up on his dream of being a parent by the time he was 40. Until now, that is.

For every company, this is part of a journey and we know we have much more in front of us to tackle.

This is a step forward, and one that makes each of us proud to be a parent and leader from lululemon.