Gardner Builders recently decided to increase its parental leave to 16 weeks after seeing a “spike in families who are welcoming new babies…and growing their families,” said Jessica Stoe, the company’s chief brand and culture officer. In many cases, new moms weren’t ready to come back to work after taking 12 weeks of paid leave, which was what Gardner previously provided.

After surveying employees about the issue, Gardner raised its paid parental leave benefit from 12 weeks to 16 weeks for birthing parents, and two weeks to six weeks for non-birthing parents.

While employees applauded the decision, it also presented additional challenges for Gardner managers, who are responsible for coordinating coverage when employees go on leave. Such plans are critical given the nature of construction work, which “never stops,” Stoe said.

Her team decided “hiring temps just was never going to be a solution.” Instead, she said teams approach coverage on a case-by-case basis, depending on their needs and projects at the time.

For more on the company’s parental leave strategy and how others manage absences, keep reading here.—CV

JPMorgan Chase is making philanthropic commitments to organizations focused on workplace and public benefits with a financial health focus, the bank announced last month.

The commitments, which total $14.5 million, include a $7 million donation to Commonwealth, which will pilot benefits programs in Columbus and Chicago, and $1.58 million to Washington University in St. Louis, which is doing research on how workplace benefits can improve the financial wellbeing of low- and middle-income workers.

JPMorgan Chase’s announcement speaks to total rewards leaders’ growing interest in “financial wellness” benefits. Such offerings seek to address financial challenges among the workforce, particularly those experienced by lower-income workers.

For more on this workplace financial wellness benefit, keep reading here.—CV

President Trump signed a slew of executive orders in the first 100 days of his administration, including ones targeting diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), which has led to a noticeable shift among some private employers. As companies like IBM and Target reverse course on DEI efforts, and others like Costco and Apple stand firm, many HR leaders are left wondering about the future of DEI.

“Diversity, equity, inclusion has been reduced to an acronym, and that acronym has been turned into rhetoric, and, in that whole path of that happening, has lost its true name,” KeyAnna Schmiedl, chief human experience officer at recognition platform Workhuman, told an audience at Workhuman Live. “It was never about the letters, or even the words themselves, but rather the sentiment in identifying a better outcome and experience for all people.”

For more on DEI and the different starting points some employees are coming from, keep reading here.—MC