Nearly half of men in Japan find themselves in an awkward position to return to work after taking paternity leave, with many concerned about the increased burden on colleagues, according to Kyodo News.
Of 550 married men with children under the age of 6, respondents urged companies to cover staff shortages and provide benefits for colleagues so employees can take paternity leave without hesitation, according to a survey conducted by Meiji Yasuda Life Insurance Co in early September.
33.4 per cent took paternity leave for an average of 42 days. Of the 41.5 per cent who felt uncomfortable when they returned, 23.9 per cent said they felt “a little awkward,” 16.0 per cent said they felt “awkward” and the remaining 1.6 per cent felt “very awkward.”
24.7 per cent of respondents said that in order to smooth things out for those returning after paternity leave, companies need to employ people to fill in for them while they are away. 23.4 per cent of respondents mentioned child support payments for colleagues and compulsory paternity leave.
Depending on company size, 51.6 per cent of men working in organisations with 1,001 employees or more took paternity leave, compared to 26.2 per cent in organisations with 1,000 employees or less.
In the 2023 financial year, a record 30.1 per cent of employees took paternity leave, up 13.0 percentage points from the previous year, according to the government survey. This is due to the fact that from April 2022, companies are required to inform employees about the scheme and confirm whether they intend to use it.
