Paternity Leave and Beyond: 5 Tips to Support Working Dads

Quick look: Paternity leave isn’t just good for families, it’s good for business. However, only about a quarter of private-sector workers have access to paid parental leave through their employer, and just 5% of new fathers take off two or more weeks after a birth, adoption, or foster placement. Read on to explore how small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) can build stronger paternity leave policies and cultivate a dad-friendly workplace culture.

Fathers make up a substantial share of today’s workforce, with 93.5% of men with children under 18 participating in the U.S. labor market. And at home, dads are more involved than ever before, sparking a shift in their expectations of employers.

This Father’s Day, it’s worth considering if there are any additional steps you can take to further support the working dads on your team. From paternity leave to flexible scheduling, here’s what business leaders need to know to attract and retain top talent in the workplace.

A look at modern fatherhood

According to the Institute for Family Studies, American fathers now spend nearly eight hours a week on direct childcare at home, roughly an hour more than two decades ago. And for dads with children under six, that figure climbs to about two hours a day.

Pew Research finds that 85% of fathers with children under 18 say parenting is the most, or one of the most, important parts of their identity. Further, the share of children under 18 living with two parents is at its highest level since 1991, according to the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.

Where paternity leave stands in the U.S.

While the U.S. doesn’t have a federal paid parental leave law, the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) guarantees 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave for eligible employees. However, FMLA only applies to public agencies, schools, and companies with 50 or more employees, leaving many smaller organizations responsible for establishing their own policy.

Only about a quarter of private-sector workers have access to paid parental leave through their employer, and although 45% of employers now offer paid parental leave for dads, that still leaves the majority of workers without it. And even when leave is available, fewer than 5% of fathers take off two or more weeks. These figures show companies can stand out and boost morale by offering this benefit.

It’s also important to note that change is on the horizon, with more states rolling out paid family and medical leave programs. SMBs that proactively plan for these updates can strengthen both compliance and competitiveness.

Disclaimer: Paid family leave policies vary significantly by state. Please review your local laws and consult with an HR professional to understand your specific provisions. This blog provides general information and should not be considered legal advice.

The many benefits of paternity leave

Paternity leave delivers a wide range of returns for children, families, and the businesses that offer it:

Healthier, happier families

Paid paternity leave has been shown to reduce stress, fatigue, and depression for both fathers and their partners. This matters a great deal when you consider that 8–13% of new dads and roughly 1 in 7 new moms experience postpartum depression.

Additionally, per the National Fatherhood Initiative, engaged fathers tend to experience better physical and mental health, stay employed more consistently, and model positive behavior for their children. The kids themselves benefit, as fathers who take at least two weeks off following a birth are more involved in their child’s direct care nine months later.

Stronger gender equity

Parental leave for fathers directly supports working mothers, too. When only women take leave, it reinforces the assumption that they’re the default caregivers, which can decrease their long-term earnings. Moms who work full-time earn an average of 74 cents for every dollar a father earns, but McKinsey research found that for every month of paternity leave a dad takes, mothers’ incomes increase by roughly 7%.

Paid leave also addresses a significant access gap, as paternity leave in the U.S. tends to be more accessible to higher-income employees. Formalizing a paid policy helps level the playing field and demonstrates a commitment to inclusion.

Better business outcomes

A Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) report found that paid leave helps organizations attract talent (58%), improve retention (55%), support employee wellness (61%), and increase engagement (60%). What’s more, fathers who take paternity leave are also more likely to be engaged, productive, and stay after they return.

5 ways to encourage dads to take leave

Offering paternity leave is the first step, but making dads feel comfortable using it is another challenge. One-fifth of fathers worry that taking leave can negatively impact their career progression, and relieving that concern requires deliberate cultural work.

1. Shift the default conversation

When an employee shares news that they’re expecting, managers should ask how, not if, they plan to use their leave. That single word swap frames leave as an expectation, not a request, and employees feel more comfortable using a benefit when it’s presented as the norm rather than an exception.

2. Lead by example

Cultural change flows from the top. When leaders openly endorse paternity leave and take it themselves, it sends a signal that doing so is not just acceptable but valued.

3. Prepare managers to support the transition

Managers are the ones navigating the day-to-day realities of leave coverage and return-to-work conversations, so it’s crucial to equip them to handle leave proactively. This could look like discussing career development plans with employees before they go and ensuring coverage is arranged in advance.

4. Build in long-term flexibility

Work-life balance matters to all employees, including fathers. When possible, offering flexible schedules can help new dads support their families, manage caregiving responsibilities, and maintain their own well-being during a major life transition.

Employers may also consider providing flexibility beyond infancy by offering school activity time off. This allows staff to take time off work to participate in their children’s childcare activities, like parent-teacher conferences, holiday events, classroom activities, and graduations.

Note: Flexible benefits should be applied equitably to all employees. Burnout and caregiving responsibilities affect workers of all backgrounds and family structures, and policies should reflect that.

5. Partner with outside experts

Developing a competitive parental leave program can feel like a lot for SMBs to take on. There’s the policy itself to create, federal and state-specific compliance requirements to navigate, and coverage to manage when employees are out.

That’s why many smaller companies partner with a human resources (HR) outsourcing provider, like a professional employer organization (PEO).

When you work with a PEO, you gain access to dedicated HR experts who can help design and implement compliant parental leave and school activity time off policies, while ensuring alignment with federal and state-specific laws. PEOs also give SMBs access to large-group purchasing power, meaning you can offer a richer benefits package than most companies your size could independently.

Beyond leave policies, some PEOs, like ExtensisHR, include a dashboard that gives visibility into pay equity, salary trends, turnover, and promotion data, assisting you in building a fairer workplace.

Develop a benefits strategy that works for every employee

Paternity leave is one piece of the larger employee benefits picture, and when you get it right, you’re likely to experience stronger retention, engagement, recruitment, and culture.

There are many moving parts involved in designing a benefits strategy tailored to your specific workforce, but we’re here with the resources you need to do just that.