Society Paternity leave stigma persists in Japanese workplaces

A recent survey by Meiji Yasuda Life Insurance Co. revealed that around 40% of Japanese men feel awkward upon returning to work after taking paternity leave. Many expressed concerns about the increased workload on their colleagues during their absence. The survey, conducted among 550 married men with children under six, found that 33.4% had taken paternity leave, averaging 42 days. Of those who experienced discomfort upon their return, 23.9% felt "a little awkward," 16.0% felt "awkward," and 1.6% felt "very awkward." To encourage more men to take paternity leave without hesitation, respondents suggested that companies should implement measures to address staffing shortages and support colleagues who may need to shoulder additional responsibilities.

Asked about measures that would help men return to work without feeling awkward, 24.7 per cent said companies should hire people to cover for their absence, while support allowances for colleagues and making paternity leave mandatory were cited by 23.4 per cent. By size of the company, 51.6 per cent of men working in entities with 1,001 or more employees took paternity leave, compared with 26.2 per cent in those with 1,000 or fewer. "The effect of one person taking leave in a small or medium-sized firm is far greater than in a large company," said Yuichi Kodama, chief economist at Meiji Yasuda Research Institute. "Public and private companies need to work together to reform workplace culture and work style," he added.

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According to a government survey, in fiscal 2023, a record 30.1 per cent of employees took paternity leave, up 13.0 percentage points from the previous year. Companies have been obliged since April 2022 to inform workers of the system and confirm whether they intend to use it.

I recently proofread an ESG report for a well-known Japanese company. The had set a target of 100 percent of eligible fathers taking paternity leave and were not far off achieving this. It can be done!