Baker McKenzie has launched new internal policies of flexible work (bAgile) and family care (Family Leave) for its more than 450 members in Mexico.

Work-life balance

Baker McKenzie says bAgile is the firm's global initiative in response to technology enablement to meet their own people and client's needs. It represents their opportunity to facilitate working in a more flexible and agile way. Raymundo E Enriquez, managing partner of the firm in Mexico, remarked “We are convinced that now-a-days, having work-life balance is one the most important things that people seek. Therefore, at the firm we consider that flexibility is a key indicator to promote a better balance between personal and professional life, creating innovative work environments and at the same time more productive ones. To do this, we formalised four flexible working arrangements that include remote working, less than full-time, flexible hours and time off. We are proud to advance these issues in our industry and reaffirm the commitment we have towards our people as a socially responsible organization.”

Multiplier effect

Family Leave is the internal policy that promotes equality for all applicants (regardless of their gender identity/expression or sexual orientation), to take a parental leave, due to the birth or adoption of a child, for a period of twelve weeks receiving their full compensation. In addition, in cases of pregnancy, women can choose to extend their maternity leave for up to twelve additional weeks, receiving a certain percentage of their compensation. Baker McKenzie is seeking to contribute to gender equality by proposing the same time of leave for paternity and maternity purposes, stating offering more time for men to share responsibility at home and caring for their children, puts in better perspective the return of women to work and establishes the baseline to eliminate biases between hiring a man or a woman for parental leave issues. Additionally, this policy seeks to support the so-called "new masculinities", eliminating prejudices and stereotypes regarding the role and responsibility of parents.Tatiana Escribano, who leads the firm's diversity and inclusion committee in Mexico, added that “Promoting policies such as Family Leave, provide tools that contribute to equality in all its aspects, and transversally, to the joint responsibility of families and the respect for all of its expressions. We're proud to be pioneers of these initiatives in our industry and we hope that they have a multiplier effect."