August 3, 2021

 

Family planning benefits are becoming more prominent in the workplace, yet often focus only on supporting female employees with fertility, birth and postnatal support.

While this is important, employers should consider how traditional families aren’t so traditional anymore.

Shifting attitudes around family planning benefits and policies like paternity and family leave can help improve workplace equity, as well as introducing benefits around surrogacy and adoption.

Companies taking action

These benefits focused on women in the past because usually they’re the main caretaker of a newborn. However, recent trends have shown dad is just as involved as mom.

The most progressive employers offer parental leave that is flexible. There is also more cultural encouragement in the workplace for men to take advantage of the benefits that are offered.

Some bigger companies that already offer flexible parental leave are listed below:

  • Reddit
  • Amazon
  • Microsoft
  • IBM

What do fathers miss?

Giving time off to fathers as well will allow for important family development to occur.

According to the Apex 2021 Benchmarking Survey, 75 percent of participants allow fathers paid leave. Without that leave, fathers miss out on several things like:

  • Bonding with the child or children
  • Adapting with his partner on new lifestyle
  • Assisting his partner with new child or children
  • Improved mental health
  • Improved partner relationship

Paternal leave will improve work performance

According to a survey by McKinsey and Company, 90 percent of men felt an improvement in their relationship with their partner. This will create a healthier home life for the recently born child and improve the lives of both parents involved.

This happiness felt by fathers in this situation carries over into the workplace, resulting in higher performance.

According to the same study by McKinsey and Company, only 20 percent of fathers acknowledged career setbacks from taking paternal leave. Of those 20 percent, all of them agreed the positive benefits outweighed the negative.

Men are seeing childcare as extremely fulfilling work and carrying that motivation with them when they return to the office.

Women need a break

Right now, the burden of giving birth, taking time off work and being the only parent home full-time is all falling on women. This disproportionately burdens women in the workplace.

If all new parents are expected to take time off it lessens the burden for women. It also ensures that these parental benefits are being presented in a way that does not discriminate against families that may have a different parental dynamic.

Starting a family is one of the hardest and most important jobs a person can take on. Companies need to understand the importance of offering the proper support to both parents involved. Whether that is a mother and a father, two mothers, two fathers or anyone in between.

For more insight on paid parental leave, check out the Apex Benefits 2021 Indiana Employee Benchmarking Survey Report.

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