We hear a lot about the need to attract working mothers to the workforce and what types of benefits companies should be offering this demographic in order to stand out among the competition. Yet, we hear little about how to attract working fathers.
Equal-partner parenting impacts not only family dynamics but also the way you’re attracting talent. If you’re only catering to working moms, you miss out on attracting working dads. More and more employers are seeing this and are starting to offer specific benefits, such as paternity leave, to attract working fathers to their companies.
Working Mother has created its first list of “Best Companies for Dads,” which celebrates 35 organizations that lead the way in benefits geared toward working families. The Working Mother Research Institute (WMRI) wanted to celebrate the organizations that help men be the best dads they can, which also benefits moms at work and at home.
To determine this inaugural list, the WMRI went back to the applications for its 100 Best Companies list and pulled questions directly related to dads, including those about paternity leave, adoption leave, surrogacy and fertility benefits, phase-back-to-work programs, childcare options, and employee resource groups for men. Here, we’ll highlight just a few of the companies that excel at offering benefits for working fathers.
Accenture
The professional-services firm supports new parents with up to 16 weeks of paid leave and 120 hours of backup child care in the first year. Other caregivers can access up to 80 hours annually for child, adult, and eldercare needs. Accenture offers these other benefits to working fathers:
- At least 2 weeks of fully paid paternity leave after 1 year of service
- Reimburses employees or partners (including same-sex partners) for surrogacy expenses
- Has employee resource groups for working parents/caregivers
- Offers leaves of absence/sabbaticals
- Offers part-year programs
American Express
American Express employees, including hourly workers, are eligible for 20 weeks of fully paid parental leave. In addition, birthing mothers are eligible for paid, medically necessary leave, which is generally 6 to 8 additional weeks. The company also offers “Healthy Babies,” a program for expectant mothers that provides healthcare resources and incentives. While these highlights are important for mothers, the company also offers these benefits to working fathers:
- At least 20 weeks of fully paid paternity leave after 1 year of service
- Reimburses employees or partners (including same-sex partners) for surrogacy expenses
- Offers backup child care, used occasionally when regular childcare isn’t available
- Has employee resource groups for working parents/caregivers
- Has employee resource groups for employees using flexible work arrangements
- Has policies to let employees move on and off management or leadership tracks
- Offers leaves of absence/sabbaticals
Deloitte
The professional-services firm matches up to $500 of an employee’s spending for gym memberships, massages, meditation, ergonomic furniture, and pedometers. In 2017, 99% of employees took advantage of this, at a company cost of more than $20 million. Deloitte also offers family leave, which provides 16 fully paid weeks to care for a new child, spouse, or aging parent. Birth mothers are eligible for up to 6 months’ paid leave. Deloitte offers these other benefits to working fathers:
- At least 16 weeks of fully paid paternity leave after 1 year of service
- Reimburses employees or partners (including same-sex partners) for surrogacy expenses
- Reimburses employees or partners (including same-sex partners) for other fertility procedures
- Offers backup child care, used occasionally when regular childcare isn’t available
- Has employee resource groups for working parents/caregivers
- Has employee resource groups for employees using flexible work arrangements
- Has policies to let employees move on and off management or leadership tracks
- Offers leaves of absence/sabbaticals
- Offers part-year programs
McKinsey & Company
McKinsey & Company is a worldwide management consulting firm. It conducts qualitative and quantitative analysis to evaluate management decisions across public and private sectors. The company features “The Ramp Off Ramp On” program, which provides support and information to client-facing employees who go on extended leaves.
These employees, the majority of whom are new moms, have the option to freeze their pace of progression for 6 months upon returning. When a nursing mom needs to travel overnight for a learning and development opportunity, the firm pays travel costs for her child and a caretaker. While these highlights are important for mothers, the company also offers these benefits to working fathers:
- At least 8 weeks of fully paid paternity leave after 1 year of service
- Reimburses employees or partners (including same-sex partners) for surrogacy expenses
- Reimburses employees or partners (including same-sex partners) for other fertility procedures
- Offers backup child care, used occasionally when regular childcare isn’t available
- Has employee resource groups for working parents/caregivers
- Has policies to let employees move on and off management or leadership tracks
- Offers leaves of absence/sabbaticals
- Offers part-year programs
It should also be worth mentioning that McKinsey & Company has an entirely remote workforce, as 100% of its workers telecommute.
PwC
PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) is a multinational professional services network that offers 8 weeks of paid leave. Effective July 1, 2018, mothers and fathers receive 8 weeks of paid parental leave—up from 6 previously. Employees also receive 4 weeks of paid time off to care for sick family members. PwC also offers a reimbursement for adoption, which rose in 2018 from $5,000 to $25,000 per child. PwC offers these other benefits to working fathers:
- At least 6 weeks of fully paid paternity leave after 1 year of service
- At least 12 weeks of fully paid adoption leave after 1 year of service
- Reimburses employees or partners (including same-sex partners) for other fertility procedures
- Offers backup child care, used occasionally when regular childcare isn’t available
- Has policies to let employees move on and off management or leadership tracks
- Offers leaves of absence/sabbaticals
- Offers part-year programs
If you’re interested in participating in this growing trend of paternity benefits, check out the full list of companies that are pioneering the way. This list will help you get an idea of the types of benefits your company should be offering.