Feelings about paternity are changing, but attitudes towards work aren’t, according to recent research. A global coaching consultancy, Talking Talent, found that 75% of working dads of this generation want more involvement in their children’s care and upbringing, and 58% of working dads often feel guilty that they don’t spend enough time with their children and want to spend more.
But they aren’t taking more time off work to do it. The Federal Government’s Australian Institute of Family Studies’ report, Fathers and Work, stated, “In Australia, fathers may request to work part-time hours, as a flexible work option, to assist in the care of children. However, they rarely do.” Interestingly, the data notes that since 1991, the employment for men with children has remained essentially steady. It appears that when a child enters the home, men continue to work the same hours and women work less in order to spend around 75-80 hours a week on parenting and household work. The report is proof that a culture that many treat as dying – women as homemakers and men as breadwinners – remains a reflection of modern life. The study suggests it takes a full 12 years after women have their first child for their employment hours to get to pre-child days.
If men really want to take on more of a share of childcare responsibilities, it may be that everybody takes more time off work (and society reflects on how we think about work), or maybe that men spend less time on their careers so women can spend more. But it’s clear that something has to give. So, what gives?
Dr Peter Williams, Senior Lecturer, Avondale Business School.