As Schneider Electric celebrates the one-year anniversary of the Global Family Leave Policy, one of its employees shares his story of taking Paternity Leave and the support Schneider Electric gave him and his family during a difficult time.
Haroon Baksh is a Project Tendering Engineer for Schneider Electric in Leeds. Haroon joined Schneider as a Pre-qualification Engineer in August 2016. Today he is in a Project Tendering Engineer role in the Hub Execution Centre, where he works with our sales teams and factories across Europe to bid for projects throughout the country.
During 2018, in addition to Paternity Leave, Haroon took extended leave when his son, Eesa, was born. During a routine 20-week pregnancy scan, Doctors diagnosed Eesa with a congenital heart disease called Transposition of the Great Arteries (TGA) which, if left untreated, is a fatal defect.
Haroon and his wife were informed that Eesa would require life-saving open heart surgery just days after his birth. Once they knew the extent of the issue and timescales involved, Haroon engaged with his Manager and HR to inform them of the complications that were ahead for himself and his wife.
How has Schneider Electric supported you?
Naturally, we had to attend frequent hospital scans, appointments and surgical meetings. During this extremely difficult and testing time, the level of support I received from Schneider and my Manager was incredible. The company was accommodating, caring and above all else, understanding.
A few weeks before I went on leave, Schneider recruited somebody to cover my duties and this period ensured there was enough time to handover any ongoing projects. Schneider took all the necessary measures to ensure that I didn’t have to worry about any elements of my job whilst I was on leave.
I finished work with the comforting feeling of knowing that I can focus all my energies on one of the major events of my life, whilst having the support of a company that truly cares about its employees.
What do you think about Schneider Electric's family leave policy?
I think it’s fantastic. The last thing I wanted to worry about was work stress and the workload that I would potentially return to. The policy allowed me to spend extra time with my family, during a crucial period of my life.
How does this impact on your view of Schneider Electric?
I see Schneider as a company that emphasises taking care of and nurturing its employees and the experiences that I went through have amplified these perceptions even higher. Being part of a global company, it was amazing to see how Schneider cared for and managed my welfare on an individual basis. I came back to work with a new determination and desire to work harder.
How would you recommend this policy to your colleagues?
Unequivocally! I wasn’t aware of the family leave policy until my Manager mentioned it to me. Schneider Electric has devised and implemented this policy for a reason – to protect and look after its employees. Given my predicament, I was fortunate enough to be able to make the most of this policy, and I would implore to others to do the same if they need to.
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