When we talk about men’s health at work, the conversation usually circles around stress, burnout, or mental health. What’s often missing is the experience of being a dad - the juggling act between professional pressure and parenting responsibilities. It’s a huge part of many men’s lives, but one that rarely gets the attention it deserves.

Across the UK, thousands of working fathers are quietly navigating the tension between being reliable at work and being present at home. Research by Working Families and Wates Group found that half of UK working fathers feel nervous about asking for time off to care for their children, and 35% took less paternity leave than they wanted.¹ Many said they feared being judged or damaging their careers by prioritising family life.

It’s a pattern reflected elsewhere. The Fatherhood Institute reports that UK fathers are spending more time caring for their children than any previous generation,  yet workplace systems haven’t kept up.² Many dads still feel excluded from family-friendly policies or unsupported in balancing work and care.

Meanwhile, the Equality and Human Rights Commission found that nearly two-thirds of fathers want to spend more time with their children but face workplace barriers such as limited paternity leave, inflexible schedules, or unsupportive managers.³ This gap between what fathers want and what they feel able to do at work can lead to frustration, stress, and guilt -  emotions that often go unspoken but have real impacts on men’s wellbeing.

The Fathers Network Scotland Dads’ Survey (2022) paints a similar picture: most dads said they struggle to balance work and family life, and a third reported that this imbalance negatively affects their mental health and relationships.⁴ These findings remind us that fatherhood and wellbeing are deeply connected,  yet workplaces often treat them as separate issues.

Supporting dads at work isn’t just a nice-to-have; it’s a wellbeing priority. When workplaces make space for men to be both professionals and caregivers, the ripple effects are powerful. Children benefit from more present parents, partners share responsibilities more equally, and teams become more empathetic and balanced.

Practical changes can make a real difference:
- Normalise flexibility for fathers, not just mothers - so parental leave, hybrid working and early finishes for school pick-ups don’t carry stigma.
- Train managers to understand and support dads’ wellbeing - asking not only about workloads but also how family life fits in.
- Share stories of male leaders who model work-life balance, showing that caring is compatible with ambition.
- Measure impact  - include fathers’ experiences in wellbeing surveys and inclusion strategies

- Take a moment to reflect on your family-friendly benefits. Enhancing maternity, paternity and adoption leave is a brilliant step, but balance matters -  are all sides equally supported? And if you’re not currently enhancing these, could you? Two weeks of statutory paternity leave is hardly enough time for a dad to adjust, experience and support the family in those early, precious moments. The impact of this often carries back into work through tiredness, distraction, and reduced focus. A little more time up front can go a long way towards supporting wellbeing, productivity, and engagement later on.

As the University of Birmingham’s Fathers in the Workplace project highlights, organisations that support working fathers see benefits across productivity, engagement and retention.⁵

At Fresh Seed, we believe men’s health goes beyond managing stress or bouncing back from burnout - it’s about supporting mental wellbeing and helping men live fuller, more balanced lives. Supporting dads at work is a big part of that. Real strength isn’t just about keeping calm and carrying on; it’s also about openness, care and balance. When workplaces embrace all sides of strength, everyone benefits.

So whilst we’re talking about men’s health this month, let’s make space for the dads. Let’s champion workplaces where being a great father and a great colleague aren’t in conflict but part of the same story.

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Footnotes

1. Empower-Up (2025). Why supporting fathers is everyone’s business. https://empower-up.com/2025/10/why-supporting-fathers-is-everyones-business/

2. Fatherhood Institute (2023). Contemporary fathers in the UK. https://www.fatherhoodinstitute.org/contemporary-fathers-in-the-uk

3. Equality and Human Rights Commission (2018). Fathers, family and work – contemporary perspectives. https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/sites/default/files/research-summary-41-working-better-fathers-family-and-work_0.pdf

4. Fathers Network Scotland (2022). Dads’ Survey 2022. https://www.fathersnetwork.org.uk/dads_survey_2022

5. University of Birmingham (2022). The benefits of supporting working fathers. https://more.bham.ac.uk/fathersintheworkplace/the-benefits-of-supporting-working-fathers/