The age of ubiquitous breadwinning dads and stay-at-home moms is largely in the past. More and more women are becoming primary earners, support networks at home have become much smaller, and more men are recognizing their desire to be more active caregivers. Today, there are many different types of households (including ones with two dads), with many different ways of dividing the labor.

Following COVID-19, many parents are being given flexibility to do school runs or work unusual hours in order to perform their roles as parents (especially if they work from home). But what more can businesses do to help and support new dads, and what benefits might they generate for themselves in the long run?

The vital importance of paternity leave

Paid leave is crucial for the physical health, mental wellbeing, and stability of the entire family. It helps both parents bond with their child, strengthen their relationships, and make full mental and physical recoveries from the ordeals of pregnancy and birth. It is without a doubt the most valuable contribution a company can make to the lives of any new parent.

It is also shown to make workers more productive, boost their morale, and bring significant benefits to the company overall when parents return to work.

And yet paid parental leave in the United States is a disaster. America is among only a handful of countries in the entire world that does not offer guaranteed paid leave. And for dads, it’s even worse.

US paternity leave

Only 8 states require companies to provide paternity leave for new dads following a birth or adoption: California, New York, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Washington, Connecticut, and the District of Columbia.

Of these 8, not one provides 100% of the employee’s wages. Most hover between 60% and 70%, and employ ceilings as low as $978 per week.

While most states allow new fathers to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-secured leave from work, it is very rarely used. The costs of living are simply too high to forgo income for that period of time. Additionally, around 44% of employees don’t even qualify for this unpaid leave.

What’s the rest of the world doing?

Countries in southeast Asia and Europe are leading the way as far as paid paternity leave is concerned. These countries recognize the vital importance of having parents bond with their children.

Not only that, but the physical and mental recovery of mothers and fathers is accelerated when both parents have paid leave:

• Norway—Companies are legally obliged to provide 0 to 10 weeks off from work (at 100% pay) at the father’s discretion. After this, both parents can divide an additional 46 or 56 weeks of leave from work between themselves: 100% pay for 46 weeks, 80% pay for 56 weeks.
• Sweden—​​​​​​​Both parents receive 90 days leave on 80% pay. An additional 300 days are granted which can be split, also at 80% pay. ​​​​​​​
• Lithuania and Hungary—Up to 156 weeks off work, split between both parents, between 70% and 100% pay.
• Japan—While the local culture prevents most fathers from indulging in work leave, they are offered 12 months leave at roughly 60% pay for every child.

Even the UK and Canada offer some form of guaranteed paternity leave (2 weeks at full pay in the UK, 5 weeks at 55% pay in Canada), though still have a long way to go.

With so many state governments in America failing to mandate support for parents, the duty falls on individual employers. If it’s not possible for companies to offer generous paid time off policies, there are other ways to provide support.

What else can companies do to support new dads?

Despite some success stories for paternity leave, the vast majority of global dads will be working full-time within 1-2 weeks of their child’s birth. There is a lot that employers can do to help protect the mental and physical health of these employees, especially during the trying first few months of low sleep and high stress.

And this isn’t just about altruism, either. As employee loyalty has become more valuable than ever to businesses, companies are investing in their own future. Employees whose early parenthood is eased by empathetic employers will be more loyal, hardworking, and higher performing than those who lack that support.

Flexible work arrangements

Even if dad never stops working, he has just become a parent. Both their child and their partner need an exceptional amount of care round the clock, and that care takes precedence over any meeting or task.

Companies should acknowledge the father’s role in supporting his young family. They should permit more flexible hours and deadlines, while demonstrating empathy if a meeting or deadline is missed. Both parents will be losing significant sleep, so companies should also try to be patient if the standard of work (or speed of output) drops in the first months of parenthood.

Be explicit about parental benefits

If your company does offer any benefits (including parental leave), make sure that new dads are fully aware of them. Many businesses also offer savings schemes for young ones, some form of counseling or mental support, as well as help accessing childcare facilities.

Social norms sometimes make many men feel uncomfortable asking about support, whether physical, mental, or financial. Even if they don’t say so explicitly, sharing this information will make a world of difference to many new dads.

You should also encourage them to put themselves first and to take advantage of anything that’s offered—that social pressure to be a self-reliant, independent man runs deep!

Encourage check-ins from managers

As with most areas of management, it’s the simplest things that make the biggest difference. A periodic sit down (virtual or in-person) to ask “How are you?” goes a long way.

Not only does it give managers a chance to understand what their employee is going through (and how that might reasonably affect their work), but it gives employees huge peace of mind, knowing that management has their back and respects their current situation.

Fight the stereotypes

Many male-dominated industries view parenting as optional for men. The “Isn’t that your wife’s job?” mentality is still all too common. In the UK, more than 75% of dads who requested furlough during Covid-19 for childcare reasons had their application denied, and that pressure—along with insinuations that men who prioritize childcare are less committed to work—can be devastating for both dads and their relationships.

Your organization should work hard to encourage dads to take their time off, to ensure they won’t be discriminated against (in terms of promotions or opportunities), and to teach managers at all levels to act the same way.