On June 9th, the White House, as part of its series of events comprising the Working Families Summit, is holding a one-day conference specifically to discuss the issues facing working fathers. I am proud and honored to be an invited panelist, and thrilled that working fathers’ issues are literally now on the national agenda.
There are three panel discussions planned for this event, and I am part of the third.
New roles for fathers at home – old stereotypes vs. new realities
Stigma and opportunity at work- the challenges dads face at work
The business case – highlighting companies with meaningful paternity leave and flex programs
In my panel, I will be discussing the landscape and research supporting the business case for companies adopting good leave/flex policies as well as how companies can create a culture that encourages employees to use the policies. Representatives from progressive companies will then talk about their experiences, why they decided to adopt their policies, how to increase uptake and use of father-friendly policies, and–most importantly–the real financial benefits they’ve derived from being father-friendly.
Work-life thought leaders (including Brad Harrington, Brigid Schulte, Liza Mundy and Scott Coltrane), Mets’ second baseman Daniel Murphy (who was criticized for taking paternity leave), executives of many influential firms, and high-ranking public officials will also be on the agenda. It should be a great day, and I’ll be sure to report back about the event (Here are my reflections and a photo essay of the May 12th NYC White House Summit).
Not to get political here, but having the challenges faced by working dads specifically discussed at the White House is change I can believe in!
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