Fathers worry about missing family time

Dads are unhappy at working long hours and missing out on important family time, finds a new report from the Equality and Human Rights Commission published today.

The report finds that fathers really want to spend more time and take equal share in child raising responsibilities, but were concerned that requesting flexible working would damage their careers, affecting promotion prospects.

A staggering 45 per cent of men do not even take their entitlement to two weeks’ paternity leave after the birth of their baby because they could not afford to do so.

The Commission has outlined a series of potential policies to help address both the concerns of families and business as part of its Working Better Initiative.

This would include dads having their two weeks’ paternity leave with 90 per cent pay, dedicated ‘parental leave’ and an additional four months’ ‘parental leave’ at 90 per cent pay to be taken by either mum or dad.

Acting Group Director Strategy from the Equality and Human Rights Commission, Andrea Murray said: “It is clear that today’s families require a modern approach to balancing work and childcare commitments. Fathers are telling us they are not spending enough time with their families and want to take a more active role in shaping the lives of their children.
 
“We have spoken to parents, employers, unions and leading academic experts in the field, and we believe that our Working Better policies lay out a road-map to 2020 which will put Britain ahead of the curve in terms of modern working practices.
 
“Two-thirds of fathers see flexible working as an important benefit when looking for a new job. This highlights an opportunity for British businesses to use flexible working as an incentive for attracting and retaining the most talented of employees. Some companies which have adopted forward thinking policies towards families are reporting increased productivity, reduction in staff turnover, reduced training costs and an ability to respond better to customer requirements.”

The Commission was established under the Equality Act 2006, taking over the responsibilities of Commission for Racial Equality, Disability Rights Commission and Equal Opportunities Commission. Its aims are to reduce inequality, protect human rights and elimiate discrimination.