Fatherhood: Let's acknowledge, advocate and celebrate!

This Sunday, we will celebrate Father’s Day in the U.S.?It is a day when we joyfully reflect on the importance and impact of the father figures in our lives. For me, it is also a time to tap into the boundless gratitude I have for the men in my life who have supported, nurtured and encouraged me – from my father (my beloved Otis Brown!), to my incredible husband Richard, to my dear brothers and the many male allies and mentors I have had throughout my career.

My professional and personal lives are a testament to what it means for working families to have options that help you manage your household with flexibility and compassion, so when I engage with the fathers I meet during my travels, their stories always hit home. I can relate to their challenges, balancing acts and tough decisions. I also love hearing their highlights – the accomplishments of their children, the growth of their families and the milestones they witness.

This is why I am truly happy to lead a company where we strive to foster a culture that takes an inclusive and expansive view of the roles we all play in our families and communities. Respecting and considering the realities of life for working families helps us take steps to lighten the load. It is deeply fulfilling to know we have benefits and policies that make it easier for fathers to be present, meaningfully, for their families and partners. They have the flexibility to take time off because of a sick child or family member at home, or to take a sick day for themselves instead of powering through. We want our associates to catch that school play, chaperone that travel team, volunteer for that affinity group that brings them joy, or just step back and recharge in order to be their best selves.

And for our younger employees, we hope to model a culture where it is OK to express the vulnerability that fatherhood can bring, and acknowledge that fatherhood does not have to mean traditional boundaries and limitations.

My husband Richard, a former Marine and engineer, has played an outsize role in our family. His support of me enables my number one priority, which is to be present in every way I can be as a mother to our children. Parenting and running a household are best approached as a team sport, with many team configurations. We have learned to stand in the gap for each other, creating a village around us that includes family, friends and other important caregivers.

Like many working families, we had to face hard choices from time to time, and as my professional journey sped up, Richard and I made the decision that what worked best for our family was for him to manage our household full-time. He never saw becoming a stay-at-home dad as trading away his engineering career; to him, it was a way to make it possible for me, as a “hyphenated” woman, to fulfill my vision of positively impacting the world.

Supporting fathers and father figures in the workplace means accelerating toward a place where they never have to give up all that matters to thrive professionally. According to data from the Pew Research Center, around 2.1 million fathers were stay-at-home dads in 2021, which is an 8% increase since 1989. Pew’s studies also show that the share of working men with children at home peaks between the ages of 35 to 44 – that number was 58% in 2022 – and this group tends to receive higher pay than mothers in the same age range. We also know that the “fatherhood wage premium” is real, as fathers earn more than any other group of workers, even when accounting for education level.

This data says several things to me. First, as women break barriers in education and the workforce, the corresponding increase in stay-at-home dads reminds us to release outdated assumptions about household roles. Second, empowering fathers and father figures means the American workplace must rapidly evolve to accommodate changing priorities and values in society. And third, we can no longer afford to ignore the gender pay gap.

Good workplace benefits and policies give men flexibility, coverage and options that help them manage family goals, priorities and challenges. Ultimately, it is about finding the path that is right for your family and exploring the family unit structure that feels most empowering.

Fatherhood encompasses more than biological ties, and all forms of fatherhood deserve acknowledgement, advocacy and celebration. Join me in wishing a heartfelt Happy Father’s Day to all the men in our lives who embody what fatherhood means!

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