Working Dads: Towards Equal Caregiving Project – GenWest

Health promotion action 4 is about ensuring the environments where we live, work, learn and play are safe, equal and foster better health outcomes. This project explores what is needed to create workplaces that support work/life balance for care-givers, regardless of their gender. 

‘Working Dads: Towards Equal Caregiving’ is a project led by GenWest on behalf of the region’s Preventing Violence Together (PVT) partnership. It uses a gender transformative approach to address traditional gendered divisions of labour, which can negatively impact women’s opportunities for economic participation and financial independence. 

Between May and June 2023, 155 fathers participated in a survey distributed through PVT networks and social media channels. Respondents represented a diverse demographic, with 84% working full-time and 25% speaking a language other than English at home. Notably, 73% expressed a desire for more flexibility and leave for caregiving. 

Fathers reported facing a ‘parenting penalty’ in the workplace, experiencing career setbacks when utilising parental leave or flexible working options. Gender norms also played a significant role, limiting access to caregiving support and impacting parenting experiences.

Workplace cultures often stigmatised the use of caregiving policies, deterring fathers from taking advantage of available benefits. 

Project recommendations include that organisations should implement policies to mitigate the parenting penalty, challenge rigid gender norms and cultivate supportive workplace cultures. This includes promoting flexible work arrangements, providing parental leave benefits and fostering inclusivity.

By addressing systemic barriers and cultural norms, organisations can empower fathers to take on caregiving responsibilities equitably. This benefits individual families and contributes to broader societal goals of gender equality and work–life balance. 

The report will inform future PVT partnership work, with partner organisations encouraged to implement recommendations. This collaboration will help create more workplaces that value and accommodate the diverse caregiving needs of all employees.  

Images produced for GenWest's Working Dads project. Illustration by Lori Camarata. 

Read the report here: https://genwest.org.au/ resources/working-dads-towards-equal-care