Research shows fathers who are more involved with their families enjoy their careers more and so do their wives who work outside the home. If a wife has a husband who is more engaged as a dad, this in turn, benefits the companies for which the women work.
A study shows it’s a winner for everyone – each of the parents and their children, as well the parents’ employers.
Fathers are happier at work, think less about quitting and balance their family and work better – if they’re spending quality time with their families. That’s according to a 2015 study by Northeastern University.
Difference with moms
Ironically, past studies indicate just the opposite for women. The more career women spend time with their children, the more stressed they are at work.
The study’s lead author, Professor Jamie Ladge says women feel more pressure because they sense they’re being watched more closely by bosses and their peers.
That’s because they’re judged differently. Moms are expected to care more for their families, but they elicit different reactions than men.
True, some women are out to show they can handle work and domestic responsibilities. However, they often pull back and accept less-paying jobs.
“It’s like, ‘There she goes again,’ ” observes Professor Ladge.
Dr. Ladge is a Northeastern professor of management and organizational development.
So this double standard helps explain the well-known wage disparity between men and women. For generations, a dad was expected to be the breadwinner and not a family caregiver.
Dr. Ladge says men aren’t as threatened in their work as women. Men don’t aren’t challenged over whether they can balance their responsibilities at work and at home.
Also, fathers aren’t perceived as being less focused at work.
“It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.”
–Frederick Douglass
“We find that involved fathering has positive work-related outcomes that can benefit organizations,” wrote the authors. “More involved fathers experience greater job satisfaction and work-family enrichment and less work-family conflict, and they are less likely to think about quitting their jobs.”
The only caveat
“Although we find that more involved fathers have lowered career identity, this is offset by perceived managerial support,” added the authors. “Our findings offer important practical insights into the benefits of fostering supportive workplaces for fathers.”
The bottom-line: True family partnerships work.
By encouraging men to get more involved in parenting, it frees up the parenting responsibilities for women. It enhanced career opportunities for women. Children benefit. Organizations become stronger. This means every stakeholder benefits.
From the Coach’s Corner, it’s obvious that mutual support reduces stress – here are related articles:
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“It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.”
–Frederick Douglass
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