Research by TSB finds societal stigma stops new dads from taking shared parental leave

TSB welcomes the launch of the Government's 'Share the joy' campaign today, to encourage more new dads to take up shared parental leave.

Research by TSB found that almost half of men (49%) feel there is a societal stigma attached to taking shared parental leave and that it’s not the ‘done thing’ for men to do.

Despite this, more than two thirds (67%) of men would consider taking shared parental leave if they were to have another child.

The research looked into the views and opinions of 2,000 people on shared parental leave, which revealed that more than a third (37%) of people had not heard of the scheme.

Over half of Brits (55%) believe it’s very important for new fathers to have time off work with their new-born baby. 18-24 year olds felt most strongly about this (71%), compared with people over 55 years (43%).

Of those parents who have taken shared parental leave, those who say the main reason they choose to do so was to have time at home to bond with their new baby (38%). A third of people made the decision because it made financial sense as their partner earned more money (33%).

Andy Piggott, Head of Credit Cards at TSB talks about his experience of shared parental leave: “I took two months’ shared parental leave when my daughter, Clara, was about 10 months old. It wasn’t an easy decision to take the leave; on the one hand I was obviously keen to spend more quality time with my daughter and help out with the childcare. On the other, I was a worried about taking two months out of the office.

“I’m so glad I decided to take the leave. Everyone, both inside and outside of work, was really supportive. It was an excellent experience for me… and my daughter survived extended daddy time! Ultimately it’s helped me take a broader perspective on things in work as well.”

The prospect of going on parental leave, particularly for the first time, can be daunting. TSB has a range of policies available to support its Partners during important life stages, including shared parental leave.

TSB knows how important it is for everyone to be able to balance work and home life, and recognises that many of its Partners have commitments outside of work. Work-life balance is so important for health and wellbeing and the Bank strives to support them with its flexible and inclusive culture.