Fathers who work in the City cited missing their children as their biggest challenge, in a recent survey.
The results of the survey were announced with the launch of the new ‘Cityfathers’ network, which aims to help working fathers achieve greater flexibility in the workplace.
In the survey of 750 working fathers, 44 per cent of respondents said they missed their children, and 45 per cent claimed to have a less than satisfactory work/life balance.
From April next year, new government regulations will allow fathers to share paternal leave with their partners, but only 37 per cent of those surveyed said they would consider taking it.
Thirty three per cent completely ruled out taking Shared Paternal Leave (SPL), citing concerns over career progression.
Comments expressing these concerns included: “I do not feel the culture is there to enable me to take SPL without it negatively affecting my boss’ perception of me/my ambition” and “It would not be acceptable in my workplace”.
Cityfathers founder Louisa Symington-Mills said the results were indicative of a “City culture of stigma” around more flexible working hours.
She added:
“Employers need to give greater support to their employees who are working hard, juggling office and home life, otherwise the prospects look dim both for morale in their organisations, and for the Government’s plans for more flexible working.”
Photo by Stewart Morris via Flickr
I don’t understand what this is trying to show – if you ask anybody “Would you like to spend more time with your children ?” you are hardly likely to get somebody to say to your face ‘No’ 🙂
In a world that is ever harder to compete the idea that we are looking to make companies even more inefficient with extra parental leave rights (so once again they will try to force single people to shoulder an even greater burden) doesn’t seem a sensible move to me.