The subject of paternity leave has been a hot topic lately, especially on the heels of Mark Zuckerberg announcing he would be taking two months off after the birth of his first child. But his decision sends a strong message…it’s ok for dads to take time off too! Netflix also recently shared that it would offer employees, both moms and dads, unlimited time off during the first year after the birth of a child. You had me at unlimited.
I don’t know about you, but I for one would have loved for my husband to be able to more time off after the birth of our children. First time around, I think he was only able to take off four or five days. I can almost guarantee that those first few months would have been much smoother had he been there to help me navigate the unchartered waters of parenthood. Or to just hold the baby so I could shower.
The way I see it, extended leave is a genius move. Companies are struggling to retain smart people and build loyalty among employees. Considering how challenging those first few months can be, giving families a little more time to adjust, while not having to stress about how to pay the bills, will make for a happier and more productive employees when they return. And chances are pretty good they will return to a company they believe values their well being.
But on the flip side, it could be challenging to maintain productivity with employees out for days, weeks and months at a time over the course of a year. We would love for you to weigh in here…are companies smart to offer this kind of flexibility for new dads?
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