Work/Life Balance: Working Dads Agree, Being a Parent is the Toughest Job
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The latest Adecco USA Workplace Insights survey commissioned in recognition of Father’s Day found that working fathers have a lot in common with working mothers when it comes to managing work/life priorities.
Not only do the majority of working moms (71%) and dads (64%) agree that managing their family lives is more challenging than their careers, more than half (55%) of all working fathers think companies should do more to help them achieve a better work/life balance. This shift in priorities reflects the reality that today’s dads are more equally sharing the family responsibilities with moms, with the most recent U.S. Census Bureau survey confirming this shift with the number of stay at home dads increasing by almost 50% over the past decade.
How do working parents’ responses stack up to their co-workers? Other key findings of the survey include:
FATHERS
MOTHERS
NON-PARENTS
Say It’s More Challenging To Manage My Family Life Than My Career
64%
71%
N/A
Think Companies Should Do More To Help Achieve Work/Life Balance
55%
49%
51%
Very Likely/Likely To Work Late Or Respond To E-mails After Hours
50%
43%
45%
Think Becoming A Parent Has Impacted My Career Path
45%
41%
N/A
Think They Have Same Level Of Access To Work/Life Benefits As Colleagues
70%
60%
44%
“The perception that the work/life balancing act is mainly a female struggle no longer holds up in today’s workplace," says Rich Thompson, vice president of training & development for Adecco Group North America. "As moms and dads continue to more equally share responsibilities both at home and at the office, employers need to be mindful of this and ensure that they offer work/life benefits that are inclusive of both groups. As a father, I can say firsthand that becoming a parent can enhance one’s life in a variety of ways, and career is certainly one of them if you can find the right dose of work and family balance.”
