As the world moves into a hybrid work model, it’s about time that we look at the impact on fathers who have to juggle between work and home.
What are companies doing to ensure that they are able to advance in their careers without compromising on quality time with family?
JobsForHer’s Diversity Survey of 300 companies found that 57 percent of large enterprises provide two weeks and more paternity leave. But this percentage is considerably low for SMEs and start-ups at 31 per cent. What is more alarming is that 14 percent of both large enterprises and SMEs or start-ups have no paternity policies in place at all.
To put this in perspective, let’s look at the Central Civil Services (Leave) Rules, 1972, which makes a provision for male government employees to take paternity leave 15 days before the birth or within six months of the birth of the baby.
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Unfortunately, there is no such provision that mandates the private sector to provide for paternity leave, thereby the freedom to formulate a paternity leave policy lies with an individual company.
While gender parity is a top priority for companies in recent times, here’s a look at how paternity leave can be beneficial for the company too:
- It creates more equal and diverse workplaces and boosts productivity
- It has a profound impact on gender equality in the workforce
- It eliminates unconscious bias
- It helps attract and retain the best talent across levels
Talking about the benefits of paternity leave, Neha Bagaria, Founder and CEO of JobsForHer points out, “We all benefit when dads are supported. This Father’s Day let’s recognise working dads’ efforts in striving for success at work and handling responsibilities at home. Paternity leave in India has been gaining prevalence over the last few years, but we still have a long way to go.”
It’s time that companies adapt to changing work cultures so that male employees are equally encouraged to take time off in order to achieve work-life stability.
“Today, fortunately, gender parity is being considered a top priority for organisations as they are introducing more family-friendly policies. Companies should offer and also encourage their employees to take parental leave, as male employees sometimes fear that such leave can hinder their career plans”, she adds.
It’s heartening to note that working dads are now also increasingly becoming sensitive to their partners’ career trajectories and are assuming equal responsibility at home too!
To keep up with this positive shift, it’s important that companies walk the talk and do what’s best for their employees, regardless of gender!
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