New site launches for working dads

Workingdads.co.uk will offer flexible jobs and advice.

A large number of dads are considering changing jobs to have greater flexibility, with many saying employers are still not aware that modern families have changed, according to a survey to celebrate the launch the new Workingdads.co.uk website.

The survey shows 73% of dads are considering searching for a flexible job and 16% are actively looking for one.

The Workingdads.co.uk site has been launched to offer new flexible jobs to dads and as a place where dads can keep informed about and debate issues relating to being a working dad. It will also provide advice and information about employment rights and career issues. The launch comes as the survey of over 600 dads shows a huge 95% say they consider flexible hours either very important (66%) or important (29%).

Nevertheless, 72% think companies still mainly want traditional hours. Sixty-nine per cent think employers do not realise modern families have changed.

As a result, 72% fear their employer’s reaction if they asked for flexible working.

Fifty per cent of those questioned work full time with no flexibility and 34% work full time with some degree of flexibility.

Richard Cahill has blogged about his experiences as a dad looking to find more flexible working. He says: “I found the search for a flexible part time role as a dad really difficult as I struggled against some really backward attitudes towards men working flexibly. Interviewers would question what my wife was doing and why it had to be me picking up the children from school! I passionately believe that new flexible roles should be available to all and that attitudes about men working flexibly need to change, which is why I support Workingdads.co.uk.”

Han-Son Lee, founder of DaddiLife, a leading website for dads, said: “Modern families have changed dramatically in the last few years and new generations are creating much more equality across their day-to-day lives. Nowhere is this more true than in the world of parenting, where dads are taking on much more active roles. The results of our recent Dad Index showed that 87% of Millennial dads are actively involved in day-to-day parenting, and yet one of the areas we hear a lot about in the community is the lack of real flexibility in their working environment. There’s a cultural shift needed across industry to reflect the changing shape of family today, and I hope more findings from surveys like this Workingdads.co.uk one can help create that step change.”

Gillian Nissim, founder of Workingdads.co.uk, said: “We are keen to build in the success of Workingmums.co.uk and reflect changes in what modern families want. When I launched Workingmums.co.uk 12 years ago the appetite for flexible new roles was coming almost exclusively from women. That has changed. Our survey shows that dads want more time with their children, more equal parenting and employers who acknowledge that. Modern family life is a joint endeavour, with greater equality at home enabling greater equality at work, and the workplace needs to reflect that. It’s a win win – for families and for employers.”

Harriet Hounsell, McDonald’s UK & Ireland Chief People Officer, commented: “Having worked with Workingmums for a number of years, we’re pleased to be sponsoring the launch of the Workingdads site. It’s important for us to champion everyone at work – to offer progression and development opportunities for all – but also flexibility so that work can fit around life; whether mums, dads, students or carers. Workingdads.co.uk, as a resource for fathers at work or getting into employment, will no doubt be an important hub for advice and guidance, as well as championing the issues that matter – as a business we are delighted to be working together."

*For more information, contact Mandy Garner on mandy.garner@workingmums.co.uk or ring 07789 106435