Should Your Sweeping Company Offer Paternity Leave?

Paternity leave is a hot button topic in our country right now. Of course, maternity leave is mainly focused on because it involves the mother, but shouldn’t the father of a new baby have some consideration too? As a business owner of a sweeping company, it’s up to you on your procedures and policies regarding this matter. It depends on what state you live in as well. You can be generous and progressive, or on the flip side you can stick to the old ways and be fairly stingy with paid time off for new fathers. The question then becomes, should your sweeping company offer paternity leave? The obvious answer is “yes” and here are a few reasons why this is an excellent policy to have in place. Not only does it greatly benefit the father, but your company will reap some rewards in the end.

Most Companies Don’t Have Paid Paternity Leave

It’s true that most companies don’t have paid paternity leave, but it shouldn’t be a reason to follow that old-fashioned band wagon. Times are changing, and more and more companies are considering how important a well rounded lifestyle is in their employees’ lives. That includes being able to spend time with family, with more paid or vacation benefits. When a man becomes a father, it’s vital to have that early time with a newborn baby. Not only does this help for bonding, but it also allows the parents to work better as a team to take care of their newest family member. A more stable household means your employees will come to work better able to do their jobs and not be distracted.

California Is Leading The Charge On This

California overall is more progressive than many other states. They are the first to offer a “paid family leave” usually for up to six weeks that will allow a father to help care for the baby and get paid at the same time. Other states following this example are Rhode Island and New Jersey, according to Babycenter.com, a popular parenting website. Hopefully all states in the future will pass this type of legislation to make it easier for dads to be there for a newborn’s first precious days.

The MLB Is A Great Example Of New Attitudes

An example of an industry that is changing their ways from how things used to be done is Major League Baseball. For sports they are the only professional league out of all of the major sports (NBA, NFL, and NHL) to offer a specific paternity plan. Back in the old days, if a dad-to-be was on the road with his team, he was more than likely going to miss the birth of his child. Most players were even afraid to ask for a day off to go see their new baby! They didn’t want to jeopardize their standing with the team by missing games. The Commissioner of baseball and a committee decided back in 2011 that all players would be provided with three days of paternity leave. Players can feel comfortable missing a few games to be with their family, if they so choose.

Your Bottom Line As A Business Owner

As a sweeper company, paying for paid paternity leave is going to cut into your bottom line, but not by much. Think of how much harder your team will work for you, productivity-wise, when they have the right benefits and paid time in place. Studies have shown like this one about “Workforce Well Being,” that companies who are more progressive, even in old school blue collar work (construction or sweeping), who offer better benefits have happier employees. They will be less stressed out about finances and more able to focus on their jobs. Productivity is much higher, which in turn makes more money for the company.

What could be a more financially stressful time then bringing a new baby into the household? Make it a little easier on your employees by doing the right thing and offering paid paternity leave. It’s a win-win for everyone.