Is Netflix’s parental leave policy the best one ever?

Unlimited parental leave? Yes, please.

Not only do Netflix provide us with hours upon hours of lounge room entertainment, now they are providing all their staff with the sweetest parental leave package we’ve heard off.

The streaming giant has announced employees can take as much (or as little) paid maternity or paternity leave as they would like in the year following the birth or adoption of a child.

“Parents can return part-time, full-time, or return and then go back out as needed,” Netflix’s chief talent officer Tawni Cranz said in a statement.

“We’ll just keep paying them normally, eliminating the headache of switching to state or disability pay.

“Each employee gets to figure out what’s best for them and their family, and then works with their managers for coverage during their absences.”

In June this year, Richard Branson announced an similarly generous policy under which Virgin management staff could take a year of fully paid parental leave – though it applies to less than 140 employees.

Netflix calls it an ‘unlimited maternity and paternity leave’ policy (though employees not working do not get paid beyond a year), but it may be a reference to its already established unlimited time-off policy.

The company appears to be going that extra step to retain the best employees in a competitive tech market.

Netflix insists its motivation is to ensure employees can “balance the needs of their growing families without worrying about work or finances”.

“Netflix’s continued success hinges on us competing for and keeping the most talented individuals in their field,” Ms Cranz said.

“Experience shows people perform better at work when they’re not worrying about home.”

Whatever the reason, the policy is amazing. We hope more employees get on board. (And that Tony Abbott is taking notes.)

Related stories:

Richard Branson just put every other parental leave policy on the planet to shame.

Tony Abbott is about to dump his “signature” paid parental leave policy.

Why paid parental leave isn’t a ‘women’s issue’.