of our consultants have been on a family leave in 2024.
World Children’s Day, lapsen oikeuksien päivä, is celebrated today on November 20th with the theme “For every child, every right”. We at BearingPoint Finland are excited to join in on the celebration and challenge ourselves to pave the way for the next generation. Starting with those closest to us, we are dedicated to being a truly family friendly workplace. Juggling parenthood and a career in consultancy – or any career – isn’t always easy. That’s why we want to share some of the concrete steps we have taken to support our working parents.
11%
of our consultants have been on a family leave in 2024.
Our approach to family friendliness starts with our values, which emphasize authentic care, long-term impacts, and empowering people to succeed. These themes apply not only to our client relationships but also to the way we treat our colleagues. One of the ways in which we promote equity is to offer an equal and gender-neutral family leave benefit, which allows all our people to have the same amount of paid parental leave regardless of how long they have been employed by BearingPoint Finland.
Being away from work for several months required substantial arrangements but all arrangements went smoothly. It’s really nice that we have a system where both fathers and mothers get an equally long period of paid leave in connection with family leave. I really appreciate that the employer supports us equally.
Lauri Alitalo, Senior Manager and team lead
Smooth transition when starting a family leave is also important. While all caregivers are encouraged to focus on their family and enjoy the time with their children, we welcome people on family leave to our social events so that we can stay connected also during the leave, if they like. Parents also continue to have access to most benefits for the duration of the paid leave and can keep their phone and laptop during the absence.
Providing employees with the tools and flexibility they need helps them to succeed both at home and at work after the family leave. Flexibility in terms of when and where our people work helps working parents to balance care duties and work. In addition, we have created a structured re-onboarding program and assign a Buddy for those returning from a longer leave. The Buddy is usually also a parent who has small children and who can provide valuable peer support for those returning to work after a family leave.
It has been nice to return to work and see all of my colleagues! I’ve also started in some new projects, which has been interesting. Remote work has helped in balancing everyday life and, upon returning to work, I got assigned my own Buddy, who is a colleague who has previously been in the same situation. Exchanging thoughts with her has been a great support to me.
Eerika Niklander, Business Consultant
Our dedication to being a family friendly workplace is not limited to the family leave period but continues as children grow. To support all parents, we offer a company-paid nurse to take care of a sick child in case of sudden illness. In addition, parents have an opportunity to take two paid days off when a child starts kindergarten or elementary school for the first time. The first days in day care and school are often short and filled with excitement, and by offering this flexibility we can support the families who are reaching these important milestones. Mothers are also offered a company-paid membership to the Mothers in Business network.
At BearingPoint Finland, we are committed to creating a supportive and inclusive environment for all our employees and their families. We believe that by investing in our people and their families, we are building a strong and positive company culture. Together, we can ensure that everyone can thrive both at home and at work, contributing to a better tomorrow for the next generation.
Elli-Maija Virtanen
Technology Consultant, BearingPoint Finland
Leena Venermo
Head of People & Culture, BearingPoint Finland