New dads are hands-on but they won’t cut down on working hours

There has been little change when it comes to traditional gender roles in Australian families, with fathers reluctant to take time off work when a baby is born, a new study has revealed.

THERE has been little change when it comes to traditional gender roles in Australian families with fathers reluctant to take time off work when a baby is born, a new study has revealed.

The Australian Institute of Family Studies analysis of employment trends, released today, shows that while a mother’s employment is dramatically impacted when a baby arrives, it is business as usual for fathers.

The study looked at trends over the past few decades.

“While fathers today may be more involved in child care, especially at weekends, the number of hours fathers spend in employment remains the same after the arrival of children,” Institute director Anne Hollonds said.

“Mothers, on the other hand, tend to be the primary carers of children under one and take years to gradually increase their time in paid employment.”

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The most common arrangement fathers use to care for children is flexible work, followed by working from home, but only 5 per cent opt to work part-time.

Dustin Laidsaar is thankful for the work flexibility he has to help with children Thomas, 6, and Charlotte, 2. Picture: Tara Croser

“When it comes to choices about parenting responsibilities, the availability of parental leave for fathers and the gender pay gap are still barriers for couples who would otherwise choose to share family responsibilities more equally,” Ms Hollonds said.

Institute senior research fellow Dr Jennifer Baxter said fathers fit children in around their hours of employment.

“Fathers continue to work full-time in the labour market where expectations about the need to work long hours tend to prevail,” she said.

Dads don’t cut back on working hours when a new baby arrives.

The study found single fathers have more diverse work patterns, with higher proportions in part-time work or unemployed.

Dusty and Kate Laidsaar are expecting their new bub any day now, and say they are lucky to have work flexibility.

“Being able to work for an organisation that provides the tools and flexibility to work at home or at the office makes the arrival of a new baby a lot easier,” Mr Laidsaar said.

“I don’t think the general knowledge of what initial leave benefits a dad is entitled to are either consistent or well known.”

Ms Laidsaar said she would be getting a lot of help from her husband, who would generally be working from home, when not travelling.

“We are very lucky his current job is flexible,” she said.

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Parents At Work chief executive Emma Walsh said dads’ reluctance to change their working lives or to take parental leave was based on continued adherence to traditional gender roles and the gender pay gap.

“Fathers are conscious of a stigma and bias around taking extended leave, especially when they are unable to see their male colleagues taking leave,” she said.