Father’s Day: Introspection Time For Corporate Policies

Father’s Day: Introspection Time For Corporate Policies

Happy Father’s Day!

Remembering and celebrating filial bonds has become a necessity in these ever-busy times.

I almost forgot too, until my daughter wished me yesterday. Fatherhood is the best to have happened to me personally. I enjoy nurturing. My profession too is an extension of it. There are many in my gender who echo this feeling. A simple glance at all the Father’s Day posts by fathers on LinkedIn is reaffirmation. Societal biases are the main demotivators for fathers. Especially in the workplace, globally.

A First-person account is often powerful. The words carry their experiences convincingly. I faced this bias in its full force when I took a career break for my infant daughter a decade ago. This happened at the peak of my career while I was leading the assigned job responsibility. ?When I announce this decision, reactions from colleagues, bosses, friends, neighbors, and most of the extended family were all typical and stock. Mostly disbelief/shock, peppered by little admiring/encouraging nods. It didn’t bother me. I knew it has to be done and choices can’t dictate. Especially when the household is nuclear and both of us lug at the corporate yoke.

I planned to return to work as soon as my infant got to playschool. We moved cities in the intervening time, and it became critical one of us got to be around the infant in unfamiliar surroundings. The force of the bias hit me when I started applying for jobs after the break. It became evident soon, I was foolish to believe paternity career breaks will be viewed progressively. No, absolutely not! It was frustrating, at times belittling, to explain the genuine reason for the career break. The look of disbelief on the interviewer’s face and their probing questions were a display of biases. Ironically, the HR function that I represented didn’t live up to expectations. Biases were pervasive and gender-neutral. The entrepreneurial turn in my professional career wasn’t by design but forced. Men taking paternity breaks come with additional challenges and warnings.

There are many things that ail our society in general. The bias that working men are seldom loving fathers is the most annoying. Historically, men have been entrusted with jobs that kept them away from their families. It’s more situational rather than by choice or willful. Be it regular wars of the olden times, the start of industrialization of the mid-18th century, or the post-WW2 era when men had to roll up their sleeves and work 18 hrs to ensure the world is producing enough for everybody, men had to be away. For purposes, only men could do then. The resultant societal biases aggravated and carried forward the impression ‘working men’ seldom make loving fathers. Thank God it remains a bias and not the truth. Switch to current times, which we describe as modern, that bias still thrives in society and corporate corridors.

A quick perusal of Govts and corporates’ paternity policies conceal more than it reveals. The watermark of bias and hesitancy is all over. The few who embarked on being progressive, lack genuine intent. The corporate world is in flux as many recent employee surveys reveal. General unhappiness, stress, and work-life balance are trending on top. Measures like addressing fathers’ right to child rearing will be an act of dousing the fire. It keeps the employee more engaged, productive, motivated, and aligned. Importantly, companies gain their trust.

The workplace of today is reenergized by myriad calls and campaigns for diversity, inclusion, equality & equity. However, it’s pertinent to note most of these aren’t holistic in their essence or approach. That’s a worry. Cherry-picking is apparent. Gender agnostic policies, acknowledging and actioning against biases and discrimination of all hues are imperative for the future workforce. Gen Y & Z aren’t silent workers, unlike their predecessors. By 2025 they will form nearly a 9/10th of the workforce. Their war cry is already revibrating. Corporate HR policies got to evolve to accommodate workforce aspirations. Biases and discrimination have to be holistically addressed. Importantly, our collective mindsets too.?

#fathersday #bias #workplacebias #hr #humanresources #discriminations #people #employeeengagement #motivation #leadership

Author Profile:?Writes about life. Consults on human potential and workplace HR. A keen observer of emerging trends and technologies that enhance workplace productivity. People Analytics and its effective and ethical usage at the workplace is the current preoccupation. Over 25 years of broad experience developing Leadership/Human Resources in large global organizations and start-ups. Enjoy analyzing and going beyond the hype. Admire the word ‘holism’.