More than 40 percent of employed fathers who had a child in the past three years did not take any paternity leave, according to a recent survey.
About 60 percent of those who did take paternity leave took no more than a week. Nearly half of respondents who took less than the allotted time off said they felt pressured to return to work sooner, the annual survey by CareerBuilder revealed.
A significant number of men showed concern for the impact work has on their personal relationships. Almost a quarter of fathers indicated their work has had a negative effect on their relationships with their children and 26 percent reported such an impact on their relationships with significant others.
Additionally, one-third of respondents said they would accept a pay cut in exchange for having more time at home with their families. About 36 percent reported that they bring work home from the office, up from 27 percent in 2008.
Researchers stated that the post-recession economy is contributing to these developments. People often must work longer hours and many families need dual incomes to meet their financial needs. Companies should consider their human resource systems and policies and whether they can help employees balance their personal and professional lives. Doing so could aid in talent recruitment and retention, among other benefits.
