Paternity leave that supports fathers is typically viewed as a rarity in the United States. Though the need for paternity leave is well-documented and the benefits of these programs have been statistically proven, many companies still hesitate to give fathers the same time off of work that’s given to mothers. Even fewer compensate dads for the time they take off work for the birth or adoption of a child.
If you’re looking for a way to create an appealing and competitive benefits package for your startup, paternity leave is a smart place to start. You can instantly distinguish yourself as a progressive leader in your industry and draw some of the best talent around simply by treating your fathers right.
Paternity leave policy
Paternity leave policies are rare in the United States. Where paternity leave does exist, many companies find that their employees are still reluctant to take it because they fear for their job stability if they make the most of the time that’s available to them.
Help minimize the stigma associated with parental leave for fathers and encourage your employees to do the best that they can for their families. Draft a comprehensive parental leave policy for your workers that includes both the mother and father. If you incorporate paternity leave in your startup early on, you can establish your position as a family-friendly company from the very earliest days of operation.
Paternity leave equalizes parental roles
Companies that fail to offer paternity leave benefits are increasingly seen as outdated and even closed-minded. The concept of women as sole or even primary caregivers for children is no longer accurate. However, many companies continue to offer parental leave benefits in unequal measure, favoring the mother over the father. The United States Department of Labor (DOL) published a policy brief on paternity leave, noting: “For two-dad families, and the increasing number of fathers who are serving as stay-at-home parents, addressing this unequal access and uptake is particularly important.”
The DOL reports that two million fathers were stay-at-home dads in 2012. The culture around work and the American family is changing, and businesses need to change appropriately to keep up with it. In the United States, 90 percent of fathers took some time off work for the adoption or birth of a new child. However, not all fathers received compensation for this leave. This forces them to take shorter leaves or suffer financial strain for unpaid time off.
Paternity leave strengthens the family
Offering paternity leave to your male employees will clearly emphasize your standing as a pro-family company. According to the DOL, 70 percent of American fathers kept their parental leave to 10 days or less. However, a longer period of leave is generally better for the family as a whole. Fathers who took two weeks of leave or more were more likely to stay active in their children’s lives beyond nine months of age.
In the first few months of a child’s life, needs are fairly simple and straightforward—confined to feeding, changing, and comforting the infant. However, participating in these early duties helps dads form a lasting bond with the child. Children whose fathers stay engaged in their lives evidence fewer behavioral problems later in life. These kids exhibit better mental health and improved cognitive function. Studies across four countries have shown a link between the time fathers spend caring for young children and those children’s cognitive test scores.
If you’re looking for an outstanding way to exhibit your startup’s dedication to family values and children’s health, tweaking your benefits package is a simple way to do so. You can show that your business efforts put children first by prioritizing progressive paternal perks for your employees.
Supporting dads also supports moms
Paternity leave doesn’t only benefit fathers. The perks extend to mothers as well. When fathers are able to take paid parental leave for their children, mothers are better able to balance their own responsibilities. Balanced benefits programs give families the option of leaving the father at home for a longer period of time while mom returns to work. The family may also choose to keep both parents at home, providing more bonding time for the family as a whole, and more equal division of chores and other responsibilities between parents.
Though Time magazine reported that Americans’ 2016 divorce rates hit the lowest point in 40 years, it’s still estimated that about half of all marriages end in divorce. Working to ease the strain on busy families may help shore up these relationships, providing better stability for the changing face of modern families.
Giving dads the opportunity to stay home will undeniably make things easier for moms. Studies in both Canada and Sweden have found that paternity leave has a positive impact on mothers’ employment rates and wages. You can help support women in the workforce by offering better benefits for men.
Offering paternity leave ranks you with top employers
Are you looking for a way to keep your startup competitive with other big names when it comes to hiring top talent? You can prove that your company benefits package is every bit as alluring as your best-known competitors by adding paternity leave to your suite of perks. Many massive companies have recently increased their paternity leave options.
In 2016 alone, several companies increased their paternal leave dramatically. Amazon formerly left fathers out of their parental leave policy entirely, but increased available leave to six weeks. eBay went from no paternal leave to 12 weeks’ worth. Etsy previously offered 12 weeks to primary caregivers and five weeks to secondary caregivers. However, in 2016 this increased to 26 weeks for all parents within the first two years.
Paternity leave is increasingly seen as a major negotiating point for Silicon Valley behemoths. Accounting firms, investment banks, consulting firms, and professional services are joining the ranks of companies with great perks for fathers as well. If you want to prove that your startup can keep up with these competitors, treat the fathers in your company right.
Keep your best talent in place
Retention is a key consideration in any company, but losing important employees as a startup can cost you the entire business effort. Companies tend to experience better retention rates when they have parental leave policies in place. Offering paid leave for the mothers and fathers in your business will encourage your workers to stick with the company. Support workers as they grow their families and they’ll stick around to support your startup through its growth phases as well.
Parental leave policies are also linked to better productivity. Exhausted fathers who feel like they’re not giving their family what they deserve aren’t going to bring the best talent to your office. Give them more time for their families, and they can return to work in the best mind frame possible. Don’t hinder your employees by forcing them to trudge to the office with an infant at home. Give them the opportunity to prioritize their personal lives when needed so they can bring their best selves to the office.
Improve your profitability
Many companies shy away from paternity leave because of the associated expense. This is particularly true in the case of paid family leave. Offering unpaid leave is better than none, but paying your fathers for the time off work is what will make your startup a star. Only three states operate paid parental leave programs that support both parents. California was the first of these, and extensive studies have examined the impact of these efforts.
A survey of 253 firms in California revealed that 91 percent saw either a positive or neutral impact on profitability. Eighty-nine percent reported a positive or neutral impact on productivity as well. These numbers prove that not only can you retain strong productive talent with paternity leave programs, you may even be able to improve your numbers.
If you’re looking for an innovative way to offer cutting-edge benefits to your employees, paid paternity leave is a compelling place to start. You’ll support the success of the American family, help improve the outlook for your employees’ children, and keep your employees loyal to the company and productive during their time in the office. You’ll find dozens of compelling reasons to offer paternity leave to your workers and very few reasons to shy away from it.
