What Happens When Dads Take Paternity Leave — And When They Don't

A prevailing argument against a paid family leave policy is that it hurts employers. “Pro-business” tax cuts and incentives, the thinking goes, are a better way to ensure workers get time off when they need it. But a study released by the National Bureau of Economic Research in April suggests that taxpayer-funded paid family leave does not harm emp... See more

Paternity leave can level the playing field for working mothers. Many fathers emerged from the experience feeling like “being at home, with a strong presence of mind, allowed me to reduce stress on my wife and for her to return to the workforce earlier.” As one father put it, “It’s not just about getting to know your kids at a crucial age but also ... See more

The benefits of paternity leave begin in the home. Ninety percent of the men we interviewed noticed an improvement in their relationship with their partner. And their partners also felt that the support was critical to forging a stronger bond. “I think I would have resented him if he had been at work and I would have had to do all of this alone,” o... See more

With a renewed sense of priorities, some fathers started to make positive changes in their work lives. One said that it led to “changing my network to work more closely with other parents who have similar focus, identifying sponsors who can help plan a path back that balances both family and career.” Some suggested that taking paternity leave may h... See more

Creating an environment where leave does not negatively affect promotions would be ideal. And, at a minimum, increasing transparency about the impact that paternity leave has on career trajectory and promotion timeline would be a valuable starting point. As one father noted, it is hard when there are “not many men taking time off, and managers and ... See more

In short, it’s possible for employees to be better fathers and better partners while also being inspiring leaders. The fathers we spoke with unanimously agreed that the upsides of improving relationships or prioritizing family more than outweigh the risks of slowing down their careers. All of them said that they would take paternity leave again, an... See more