Employers need to offer more support for working fathers as a survey has revealed that a third of dads have considered quitting their job as they struggle to manage work and caring responsibilities.
A similar proportion of fathers reported that they often feel overwhelmed with their work and caring responsibilities, with two thirds of fathers admitting that if their children are having issues it affects their performance at work.
The research with 2,000 working parents, commissioned by REC Parenting, found that nearly four fifths (79 percent) of working dads thought that employers have a responsibility to support employees who are parents.
Nine out of 10 said it is important that a prospective employer provides support for parents. This indicates how important it is for employers to consider working fathers when reviewing their benefits and wellbeing strategies.
The research found dissatisfaction with the employee benefits packages on offer. It showed that just 14 percent of dads said their employee benefits supported them very well and only 26 percent had some kind of parenting support included in their package.
Last year, a study by the TUC found that fathers are much more active in bringing up their children than previous generations. The TUC study of fathers aged 25 to 40 found that 87 percent were closely involved in the day-to-day parenting of their children.
As a result of this, there is a strong desire among fathers to create more balance between home and work so they can be present to support and guide their children. The survey results show that many are struggling to find the balance that they want, REC Parenting said.
Ana Aznar, founder and CEO of REC Parenting, said “Fathers play an important role in the development of their children and research shows those with supportive and involved fathers are generally better adjusted. As a society, it is important we recognise the desire fathers have to spend more time actively bringing up their children and adjust how we work accordingly.
“Employers have a responsibility to understand the demands that all working parents face and support them effectively. Failing to do this could see more and more mothers and fathers exiting the workplace meaning valuable skills and talents are wasted.”
Many employers in the UK have introduced equal parental leave, with others introducing enhanced periods of paternity leave. However, REC Parenting said that the majority of employers “seem to be slow to realise the changing priorities of the fathers in their workforce”.
The provider said employers seem “particularly sluggish” to recognise that a father’s responsibility extends beyond the first year of their child’s life.
The TUC study from 2023 also found that half of new fathers are having their requests for flexible working denied by employers. It said that the problem is particularly acute for those on incomes of less than £40,000, with two-thirds having their requests either partially or totally rejected. This inflexibility is likely to be adding to the feelings of stress and overwhelm highlighted in the research from REC Parenting.
Legislative changes coming in on 6 April aim to address this, but employers need to rethink their approach, the provider said.
