Why workplaces need to be more supportive of working dads
“Dads who are fully engaged with their kids overwhelmingly tend to
produce children who believe in themselves and live full lives.”
- Tony Dungy
Dads are often every kid’s first heroes, and rightly so. Just like working mums, dads have big responsibilities at home as well as at work. So this International Father’s Day, we wanted to give a big shoutout to working fathers and dive into how companies can better support them.
Where are we now?
Nearly half (~46%) of American fathers surveyed in late 2021 were planning to quit their jobs during the Great Resignation. The reason - also applicable to working moms - was the overwhelming stress of trying to manage work and childcare responsibilities.
While COVID-19 may have exacerbated it, the work-life balance issue certainly isn’t new. Working fathers felt the mounting pressure over the years, as demonstrated by the fear of losing their jobs for taking the full amount of paternity leave.
What can you do?
The concept of paternity leave is a mixed bag in Asia Pacific, with some countries and companies providing it, while others don’t. Regardless of country-specific laws, companies looking to retain good employees should provide paternity leave.
One survey showed that while managers were supportive of working dads taking a paternity break, employees felt their supervisor didn’t want them to take leave. This gap could stem from managers not being vocal enough about their beliefs, so employers must reassure employees that it’s okay to take the allocated time off.
When dads feel supported at work, they are able to contribute more to the family, and their relationships improve at home. With the resulting increase in satisfaction levels, they also become better employees at work.
What’s next?
As people become more aware of the need for better work-life balance, employers who want to keep their best employees must understand their needs and provide ways to meet them.
Beyond a fixed leave period, employers should also consider providing flexible and hybrid working conditions so dads can take ad hoc time off for their kids when needed.
Above all, companies must normalise dads’ need to spend more time with their kids without making men feel guilty for wanting to prioritise their family.
While some countries, particularly in northern Europe, are striving to normalise concepts such as generous paternity breaks, the journey is far from over. The world’s employers need to make dads feel as supported as they do mums (a situation that is also a work in progress) for an overall healthy workforce.
Here are some more eye-opening statistics and facts about working dads.
A working dad yourself? Here’s what you can do if the workplace demands become too much to handle.
Find out the reasons why working dads decide to quit their jobs.