Understanding men's parental leave-taking decisions: Evidence from Australian fathers

Abstract

Over the past decade, fathers’ usage of statutory parental leave entitlements has remained low, and this gendered pattern of leave taking is widely seen as a major contributor to workplace gender inequality in Australia. In response, some organisations have sought to make themselves employers of choice and improve gender equality by actively encouraging and supporting fathers’ uptake of parental leave. This study examines how men understand and experience parental leave within the context of one organisation that has enacted generous policies to promote fathers’ use of leave. It uses semi-structured interviews with 16 fathers and four organisational leaders to interrogate fathers’ leave taking decisions and the motivations driving the organisation’s adoption of more generous leave policies. This study finds that the structure of organisational leave policies, including rates of wage replacement, duration and flexibility of leave, and cultural supports are key factors promoting men’s use of paid parental leave. However, key challenges remain, particularly around job design and backfilling. These findings suggest that men can be incentivised to take longer parental leaves, with implications for organisational practice and regulatory policy aimed at promoting gender equality.