CEO launches 9-month, full pay family leave for workers: ‘I love being called woke’

By Amy Reast

A self-confessed "woke" young CEO has hit back at criticism for offering four-day workweeks, flexible hours and extended maternity and paternity leave.

Entrepreneurial Aled Nelmes, 29, launched his own search engine marketing business, Lumen SEO, five years ago from his hometown of Cardiff, Wales.

The CEO was steadily growing the business and decided to take a gamble two years in by experimenting with a four-day workweek.

From there staff began asking to switch around their hours flexibly - and Aled couldn't see a reason why not.

For the past two-and-a-half years, Lumen SEO has offered fully flexible 32-hour workweeks - where staff can work anytime, anywhere, as long as their work is completed.

He more recently implemented nine months' full-pay maternity and paternity policies to support new parents too.

Aled said he welcomes being called "woke" and a "naive optimist" because he wants to prove outdated business ideas wrong.

He hopes to demonstrate a business can prioritize employees' wellbeing and still thrive.

Aled said: "I want to make this company the biggest commercial success - by making it 'people first'.

"I was in traditional employment six of seven years ago and believed a business could only be successful at the expense of its people.

"I wanted to show you can have flexibility, good pay, and still have a growing business.

"With me, there is a level of well-directed insanity - it's believing in the existence of something that doesn't currently exist.

"I love the 'woke' criticism and I expect it - to make a difference, I need to raise questions."

Aled launched his search engine optimization (SEO) company in 2020 with plans to do things differently.

In 2023 he began trialling a four-day working week, with nine-hour days Monday to Thursday, and Friday off.

The annual leave allowance was cut from 28 days plus bank holidays to 24 days plus bank holidays to account for the reduced weekly hours.

The staff adapted well - but over time began requesting to split the hours differently.

Aled said: "One of my employees asked to do yoga classes one morning and make the time up on a Friday.

"I thought, why do we need specific days and hours?

"As of March this year the fully-flexible 32-hour weeks became permanent.

"The work can be done any day at any time.

"I reduces admin, stress, dependency and means everyone can have their own routine.

"But it's based on trust - new staff ask 'how do you know I'm completing 32 hours?', - I say 'I just trust you.'"

While currently none of the company's nine employees are parents, Aled likes the idea that the flexibility would allow parents to spend more time with their children in the mornings and evenings.

From there, Alex began considering a maternity and paternity package.

His market research showed lots of people were unhappy with the current statutory maternity and paternity offerings.

He decided to make an extended nine-month full pay package for new parents of ANY gender.

He said: "I want to make sure that for nine months, someone can experience the most beautiful parts of life, and not have to worry about money."

Aled said many people accused him of being 'naive' with the move - as the business would suffer if more than one person took leave at a time.

But Aled said he has accounted for that, and the remaining staff the capacity and ability to cover the absences.

He said: "People online asked 'what's in it for the people who aren't parents?'.

"I mean, why can't supporting your fellow colleagues be enough?".

Despite the changes implemented, which might lead to an initial financial hit, Aled sees the policies as a long-term investment into the company.

He said he's already noticed staff are "more committed, healthier and happier" resulting in more productive work.

Aled said: "Working 30 quality and focused hours is better than 50 hours from a sleepy and unmotivated worker."

He said so far the company has doubled its revenue in 2025 - as well as nearly doubled its employees as they are recruiting their tenth, up from five.

Aled says people have tried to argue it's a bad move financially, but he sees investment into staff as a key move.

He added: "I believe the company will grow 100%.

"If you ask any business leaders, they say the people are the most important thing.

"If you make the right hires and treat them well, they will push themselves and work hard.

"I do get called naive - but I've always enjoyed approaching this with naïveness.

"We've had the same policies for so long that you have to be mildly insane to think differently.

"But so much in the world has changed, why shouldn't we move with it?"