Working
dads want more time with their children
Many British fathers are
working long hours, struggling to balance work and family, and fear that
requesting flexible working will damage their careers, a new report from the
Equality and Human Rights Commission has found. Forty-five per cent of men fail
to take two weeks’ paternity leave after the birth of their child, with the
most common reason provided being because they can’t afford to.
The report, Working
Better – Fathers, family and work, finds that British men want to take
a more active role in caring for their children. But four in 10 fathers say
they spend too little time with their children. Forty-five per cent of men fail
to take two weeks’ paternity leave after the birth of their child with the most
common reason provided being because they can’t afford to. Two in five men fear
that asking for flexible working arrangements would result in their commitment
to their job being questioned and would negatively affect their chances of a
promotion.
The report also reveals
that six in 10 fathers work more than 40 hours a week, half of fathers believed
they spent too much time at work and six in 10 fathers agreed with the
statement that partners can share work/career and childcare equally. 56 per
cent of fathers who took paternity leave said that taking time off around the
birth of their child led to them taking a greater role in caring for their
children, while 69 per cent said it led to improvements in family life
The Commission has
previously outlined a series of fully costed policies that would help to meet
the needs of businesses and modern families as part of its Working Better
Initiative, including fathers having four months of dedicated ‘parental leave’
with at least eight weeks of leave being at 90 per cent pay, but no positive
response has been forthcoming from the Government.
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