The Daddy Wars
Posted on December 12, 2007
Filed Under Career Development, The HR Department, Gen X, Gen Y
As the father of two, I am well aware of the challenges facing today’s career dad’s. Over the years we’ve seen the rights of working mothers expanded and rightfully so. However, with more women climbing the corporate ranks, more men are taking a more active role at home. I think this is the result of many factors. Partly out of necessity, but I also think it’s partly generational. Many of us late Boomers or Gen Xer’s were raised in homes where dad was gone much of the time and we’re determined to do better by our kids. From my own experience my dad was gone a fair part of the time or worked late as was the norm. As a result I go out of my way to make time for my kids. Whether that’s attending their sporting events, picking them from school or daycare or just being the one give them a bath, I know any time I can spend with them is of great value.
Yesterday, USA Today, did a great piece on the ‘Daddy Wars’ and the tension it can cause in the workplace. The tension is primarily between ‘career focused’ dads and ‘family focused’ dads. Career focused dads, as you might imagine are the old school. They arrive early, stay late, and work weekends, generally they put career first. While family focused dads leave by 5pm, take time out of the day to take kids to the Dr, and rarely work weekends. Nothing necessarily wrong with either model, but as you might imagine career focused dads, especially those in management are sometimes at odds with dads who put family ahead of career.
So where is the government is all this? As you might expect our Uncle Sammy is slow to move. Of the litigation that’s made it’s way to federal court only a few cases have actually been won by the family focused dads. However, their is hope, the pure laws of supply and demand seem to be causing some movement in the right direction. Companies like KPMG, Texas Instruments, Ernst & Young, and Sun all have policies that respect dads and make it easier for them to continue to take an active role in parenting. They’ve done this through more open time off policies, flexible work schedules, and telecommuting.
Looking ahead, I can bet that Gen Y will continue to push the envelope on this, they’ve already sent the message that life (and I expect later, family) are most important. Most importantly in the end it’s our country’s future, our kids that will ultimately benefit. It may take a village to raise a child, but it starts and ends at home, with parents in whatever form they may take.
Until next time…
[tags] work/life balance, daddy wars, family focused, career development
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