Working fathers struggle to find time for parenthood

A study of working fathers aged 25 to 40 claims that while the vast majority are closely involved in day-to-day parenting with many sharing responsibility equally with their partner, their employers routinely fail to create a working culture that reflects their needs. According to the report, The Millennial Dad at Work, published by DaddiLife and Deloitte, fathers have to make excuses to get away from their places of work to fulfil their duties and spend time with their children and families.

The study of 2,002 working dads claims that young fathers can find themselves pulled in different directions as a result. A third of respondents said they had changed jobs since becoming a father, with a significant proportion citing the need for more flexible working arrangements as a reason. A third also said they were actively looking for a new job. The search for more flexibility to accommodate parental responsibilities is ranked second only to salary as a reason for changing jobs.

Key findings:

• More than a third (35 percent) felt conflicted when leaving work on time.
• More than a quarter said there were tensions over booking holidays and needing time off for school events and other activities.
• Almost half feel guilt towards their line manager and colleagues, and more than 6 out of 10 feel guilt towards their partner.
• Only 56 percent of dads believe that fathers are treated equally to mothers in their workplaces. 45 percent say that their employer treats mothers better
• 37 percent say their mental health is affected somewhat or very negatively by the need to juggle work and parental responsibilities
• Fathers who earn more than £70,000 are more likely to be granted flexible working than those on lower pay. A third of those who asked to work from home for one to three days a week had their request approved. This is roughly twice the proportion in the £30,000 to £50,000 pay band.