Do male caregivers face discrimination?

Working dads who choose to share parenting time and doing the school runs are now complaining that they are being overlooked for promotion and are constantly exhausted.

Melbourne University’s 2023 State of the Future of Work report revealed that, “Men caregivers see fewer opportunities for advancement, have greater difficulty concentrating at work, have less time to get work done, are less productive and have a greater desire to quit than their same-sexed counterparts without caregiving demands.”

More than half of male caregivers (55%) believe they are treated unfairly at work and nearly one third (31%) believe they lost their jobs because of caregiving, compared with 22% of working mothers.

Furthermore, exactly half (50 percent) of men caregivers report they are exhausted compared to one-in-three (34 percent) men without caregiving demands, said the report.

‘We need to challenge the way we look at parenting’

“Working fathers in some organisations are discriminated against because they do need time off for their children,” Christina Foxwell, CEO, Ignite, said. “We need to challenge the way we look at parenting and possibly label it as parental support. We need to change our view of people.

“Employers will lose great talent if they don’t shift their view of parents who need to balance a happy home and work life.”

The report states that the findings are critical as ageing populations will require more men to step into care.

“Yet, workplaces have historically focused on women’s caregiving, leaving a tremendous gap for the men caregivers. Caregivers continue to suffer as a result of the pandemic, and they require targeted interventions to support their employment.

“Caregivers in our survey identify flexible work and workplace policies targeted towards caregivers as key.”

The reality is that parents and caregivers are splitting family-related tasks and activities more evenly, and that means fathers spending less time in the office or out in the field.

“Fathers should have the same rights as women,” Foxwell said. “They should be able to work from home, leave early and have the flexibility that comes with being the primary caregiver.  Employers need to shift the focus from gender to a parental focus and this should create a more inclusive approach. It is a gender bias that needs to shift.”

Men are now suffering in the workplace, she said.

“They are suffering judgement and the lack of understanding that they are choosing to prioritise their kids and support their partner. Men are choosing family, and as a result, they are suffering because their skills and capabilities are being overlooked. Men are nervous to be seen as weak and yet they are being incredibly brave, and we need to see more fathers taking an active role in raising their kids.”

The current situation won’t change as more men are stepping into caregiving roles - to children, older adults and those with chronic to people living with chronic. During the pandemic, fathers increased the amount of childcare they did during the pandemic relative to their pre-pandemic contributions which exacerbated to their mental health.

Societal expectations of women

“Unfortunately, there is still a societal expectation that women will take on the majority of childcare responsibilities, which can result in prejudices against men who step up to the plate,” Matt Little, CEO of Damien McEvoy Plumbing said.

“This can manifest in ways such as being overlooked for promotions, being excluded from networking opportunities, or being given less difficult work tasks.”

To accommodate dads who have the primary care of their children, employers can take a variety of steps, he said. For example, they can offer flexible work arrangements, such as part-time work, job-sharing, or telecommuting.

“Employers can also establish a supportive workplace atmosphere by encouraging open communication, giving parental leave and other family-friendly benefits, and providing training and support to managers to help them manage a diverse workforce.

“It is important to recognize that this is part of a larger problem of gender inequality in the workplace. By challenging gender stereotypes and creating more inclusive workplaces that value all employees' contributions, we can help ensure that everyone can succeed, regardless of their gender or caregiving responsibilities.”