Men becoming fathers this year have admitted flexible working is becoming an increasing priority for them, it has been revealed.
According to the Department for Business, Schools and Innovation, 56 per cent of the fathers surveyed who had children aged 16 or under claimed when they were looking for a new job they would be more attracted to an employer who offered flexible working.
Meanwhile, 91 per cent of men with kids aged five or under stated it was important they had the option of paid paternity leave, while 62 per cent felt their relationship with their offspring would suffer if they were not at home after their baby was born.
However, many dads are still unsure when it comes to their paternity rights in the workplace, with 20 per cent stating they did not know if their employer offered flexible working, despite being legally allowed to request it if their children are under 16.
Employment relations minister Lord Young said: “We know that rights for dads at work are valued by people and that businesses also see real benefits in offering them. But our research shows that there are still some dads out there that are not aware of what they are entitled to and therefore risk missing out.”
The Department for Work and Pensions recently announced thousands of lone parents are to get extra help to receive training and work experience while their children are at nursery school.
