Expectant Fathers at Work #BreakingTheBias #IWD2022

Jessica Chivers, founder of The Talent Keeper Specialists.

When the Government introduced Shared Parental Leave in 2015 I was vocal about men needing a ‘use it or lose it’ portion set aside exclusively for them. I even berated Jo Swinson MP over coffee for failing to do this when she was in the coalition Government as Equalities Minister. (I bought the coffee and berated in the gentlest of ways).

The DADB1 petition

After my firm words with Jo I set about creating a petition to Government to create a ‘DADB1’ form for expectant fathers. This was to be the equivalent of the MATB1 form women use to officially notify their employer that they are pregnant. My logic was that this would trigger conversations between men and their employers about taking Shared Parental Leave and alternative work patterns – because they are about to become a parent and surely they want to be actively involved at home which might be better facilitated if they worked less than full time?

Breaking the bias means men taking shared parental leave

I have worked in this space for a long time and I know that things are only going to get substantially better for mothers when fathers are taking parental leave in similar quantities to women and requesting flexibility along the same lines too.

This clip is a snippet from one of three films I recently recorded for Cityparents for HR and line managers on supporting colleagues who are taking parental leave. You can see I take the message about fathers wherever I go…

How to stay strong as a couple after baby

In April the next in our ‘Comeback Conversation’ series (45 minute problem-solving Q&As for people returning to work) is  “How to share the load, reduce conflict and stay strong as a couple after baby”. I’ve invited the marriage therapist Catherine O’Brien and author of the excellent new book, Happy With Baby: When Partners Become Parents, along with husband and wife business duo, Sophie and Dave Smallwood (founders of roleshare.com) to be my guests. You’re invited and I do hope you’ll join us.

Comeback Community employee experience

These Comeback Conversations are part of our Comeback Community™ employee experience utilised by employers such as GAM, FDM Group and Lily’s Kitchen. I decided we’d open up this element for free in 2021 and 2022.

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