Father’s Day is a great moment to celebrate the dads in your organization. But it’s also an opportunity to make sure your benefits and workplace culture are aligned with the evolving realities of modern fatherhood.
Generally speaking, American dads are more involved in caregiving than ever before. They’re navigating child care logistics, coordinating appointments, helping aging parents, and managing family routines, all while showing up and delivering at work (just like many moms, we should say!). For employers, offering the right resources isn’t just the supportive thing to do. It’s strategic.
Dads are doing more care, and the numbers prove it
Recent data highlighted in a New York Times op-ed shows that American dads are still spending more time with their kids than they were pre-pandemic: A team at the University of Kansas looked at the years between 2015 and 2023 (2020 not included), and found that fathers of children ages 10 and under were doing about seven minutes more per weekday and 18 minutes more per weekend day, for a total of 1.2 hours more child care a week.
This increase may seem small at first glance, but over time it reflects a growing commitment from dads… and a growing need for employers to help support that care.
Support matters: for people and performance
When dads have access to flexible, inclusive caregiving benefits, everyone wins. According to our 2025 Future of Benefits Report, approximately 1 in 5 employees say another position offering child care benefits could inspire them to leave their job (18%). Moreover, employees with family care benefits report:
- 45% higher productivity
- 40% lower absenteeism
- And they consistently cite higher quality of life, lower stress levels, and better work-life balance.
Four ways to support working dads today
1. Offer backup care that works when plans fall through
Whether it’s a last-minute school closure, a sick babysitter, or a parent’s doctor appointment, flexible backup care options help working dads avoid disruptions without burning PTO or scrambling for help.
What to do: Provide access to backup child care, senior care, or pet care that can be booked easily online or via phone, especially during school breaks and summer.
2. Add a care spending account or subsidy
Parents often shoulder financial responsibilities and appreciate support that helps offset the cost of care, whether that’s a nanny, daycare, summer camp, or senior care assistance.
What to do: Offer a pre-tax care spending account or provide a direct care stipend that can be used across a range of caregiving needs.
3. Include dads in parental and caregiving leave policies
Sometimes fathers don’t use the leave they’re entitled to; either because they don’t know it applies to them or they fear judgment. Clear, inclusive language can change that.
What to do: Audit your leave policies and communications to ensure they speak directly to all parents and caregivers. Use “parental leave” instead of “maternity,” and encourage managers to proactively support dads in using it.
4. Create “care moments” in onboarding and open enrollment
New and expectant dads often don’t know what resources exist until they’re deep in a caregiving challenge. Help them plan ahead.
What to do: Add a “starting or growing your family?” section in onboarding and benefits enrollment materials that highlights relevant care benefits: backup care, parental leave, flexible work options, and care planning resources.
5. Celebrate caregiving stories internally
Seeing real dads talk about how they use benefits builds connection and normalizes care-related conversations.
What to do: Share a short Father’s Day spotlight or video featuring a few working dads from your company, talking about how they balance work and care, or how a benefit made a difference.
Supporting dads is good for business
Father’s Day is a great moment to recognize the dads in your workforce. But the real impact comes from building everyday systems that help them navigate work and family life with less stress and more confidence.
When companies create benefits that reflect the full spectrum of caregiving, they unlock higher productivity, stronger retention, and a culture where everyone can thrive.
Modern fatherhood is active, involved, and evolving. Your support can be, too.
