Parental leave isn’t just about time away from work, it’s about creating space for men to show up fully in both their personal and professional lives. When dads are encouraged to take leave, it signals that caregiving is a shared responsibility, not a gendered one.
But inclusive policies alone aren’t enough; it’s the visible support, flexible options, and positive role modelling that truly make a difference.
We hear how taking parental leave impacted these men beyond the nursery. From stronger family bonds to renewed clarity at work, their stories show that supporting dads to step away doesn’t hinder careers, it enhances them.
Below, fathers from across WORK180 Endorsed Employers share their experiences. Their insights remind us that normalising parental leave for all parents isn’t just good policy, it’s good business.
Building bonds and breaking stereotypes
Taking parsupportingisn’t just good policy; it’s a gateway to deeper relationships, shared parenting roles, and a better understanding of the emotional labour of caregiving.
These dads reflect on how their experiences at home changed them forever.
“Being able to dedicate yourself to your family and responsibilities at home, without thinking about work, allows dads to build a connection with their children that cannot be done at other times – you get one opportunity, as they are only babies for such a small period – to spend months at a time caring for and raising them without distraction.”
David Jancik, Head of Public Policy & Reputation, Sportsbet
“I loved sharing the joys and challenges that come with a newborn, particularly in the early days as my wife recovered and we adjusted to a new family dynamic and lifestyle. It put work into perspective and made me cherish my role more as a father. I took 6 weeks paid parental leave following the birth of my daughter, and then I will take my remaining 20 weeks when she is 12 months old and my wife returns to work. Working from home has also been incredibly helpful as I can be available for those moments that are too overwhelming for my wife and when an extra set of hands is needed.”
Alex Kroon, Engineer – Network Protection and Earthing, Essential Energy
“It was a truly transforming experience, in several ways. It allowed me to take care of my young family, re-focus on something completely different than career and put things into perspective. Priorities in life become clearer, not in a bad way for how I view my job, but allowing me to stay calmer and more reflected, deal better with frustrations at work. Also the experience that my employer allowed me to take that time, with no negative effect on my career and the fact that I felt supported enough for it to not cause issues for my work was very good.”
Guenther Haberl, General Manager Engineering, Rheinmetall
“There’s still a lingering perception that parental leave can stall your career. But the more we normalise dads taking the full leave, the more we shift that mindset. Especially for those of us in leadership. It’s on us to role model what balance looks like.”
Callum Laming, Manager, Field Operations and Optimisation, IGO
“Witnessing each milestone in my son’s early development—his first smiles, his first attempts to sit up—gave me a personal satisfaction that no professional achievement could match. Had I remained in full-time work, I know that bond wouldn’t have been the same. Those months away from the office weren’t just about caregiving; they were about understanding the delicate balance between career ambitions and the irreplaceable moments of parenthood.”
Paul Ogier, Reliability and Remote Support Centre Manager, Sandvik
Why encouraging men to take parental leave matters
When men take parental leave, it helps dismantle outdated gender roles, supports maternal career progression, and creates more inclusive, balanced workplaces.
It also sends a powerful message: caregiving isn’t a career risk, it’s a leadership strength.
“It gives fathers a far deeper appreciation for the challenges of caring for children and enables confidence, particularly with the first child. This helps me to better care for my family when I am back at work. How my Essential Energy workplace supported me through this chapter makes me feel more valued as an employee and member of the team.”
Alex Kroon, Engineer – Network Protection and Earthing, Essential Energy
“Encouraging fathers to take parental leave helps challenge outdated norms and supports more balanced parenting. When men enter this space, it normalises hands-on fatherhood, promotes maternal recovery, and strengthens family units. In the workplace, it cultivates empathy, equity, and shared responsibility, benefitting teams and
Bakos Patros, Principal Consultant, SYSTRA ANZ
“There are only upsides in encouraging more dads to take parental leave. From a workplace perspective, encouraging work-life balance and supporting dads to take parental leave builds a culture of trust, loyalty, and appreciation – that your employer understands modern demands on families and supports you in doing what you need to do for your family. Employees see and feel this, and are more invested in the business and the team as a result, because they see the support that is voluntarily provided by the business, not because they have to.”
David Jancik, Head of Public Policy & Reputation, Sportsbet
“Taking four months off for my third son was honestly life-changing. With my first two kids, I didn’t get the same opportunity to be fully present, so this time I made it a priority. It wasn’t just about helping at home, it was about being there emotionally and mentally.”
Gysbertus Els, Site Train Validation Engineer, Alstom
“When dads take leave or work flexibly, it normalises shared parenting roles. It also sends a strong message that caring responsibilities aren’t just a woman’s issue. It’s helped build a stronger bond with my daughter and made me a more present parent — something I’d encourage any new dad to explore.”
Adam Edwards, Resourcing Business Partner, CityFibre UK
“Positively encouraging more dads to take parental leave can help reduce pressure and stress on one parent and help normalise a flexible approach to work. From a workplace culture perspective, it demonstrates the businesses commitment to supporting employees outside of the traditional 9-5.”
Thomas Cuff, Human Resources Business Partner, Rheinmetall UK
“The experience I had is helping dad`s to understand the importance of family. Contributing more than just being the financial carer while experiencing that work life moves on without it causing disadvantages to my career helps to understand that family can come first, has to come first, and it does not cause you issues if dealt with professionally. That helps workplace culture as much as it helps the young dad.”
Guenther Haberl, General Manager Engineering, Rheinmetall
Leading by example
When fathers are empowered to take leave, challenge stigma, and embrace shared caregiving, everyone benefits: families grow stronger, workplace cultures become more equitable, and teams thrive through empathy and flexibility.
It’s clear that non-gendered, inclusive parental leave policies are not just good practice, they’re a business and societal imperative.
These men prove that by stepping up, speaking out, and leading by example, real change is not only possible – it’s already happening.
You can now ‘Follow’ Endorsed Employers on WORK180 to stay up to date on new roles and parental leave policies via their dedicated profiles.
Click on the links below and look for the ‘Follow’ button at the top of the employer’s profile:
Alstom | Essential Energy | CityFibre UK | IGO | Rheinmetall | Rheinmetall UK | Sandvik | Sportsbet | SYSTRA ANZ
