Monster Survey Finds More Fathers Seek Success in Both the Office and at Home

Poll Shows More Dads Taking Advantage of Paternity Leave Benefits

68 Percent of Working Dads Polled Would Consider Being a Stay-at-Home Parent If Money Were No Object

Dads are increasingly cognizant of balancing work demands with the responsibilities of fatherhood, according to survey results released today by Monster(R). More than half of working fathers (58 percent) in the Monster Intelligence Father's Day Survey feel their employer should be more considerate of the needs of working dads, thus identifying an often-overlooked area of opportunity for employers to attract the best talent. Monster is the leading global online careers and recruitment resource and flagship brand of Monster Worldwide, Inc.

The Monster Intelligence Father's Day Survey reveals that although working fathers deeply value work/life benefits, many feel their employers aren't doing enough to promote a healthy balance, said Peter Castrichini, vice president of compensation, benefits, and HR operations, Monster. Given the current war for talent and looming skills shortage, employers should recognize that offering benefits such as flexible work arrangements and paid paternity leave is a key tactic for recruiting and retaining talent. We've seen this first-hand at Monster, especially with the newer generation of workers, so we've adapted our work/life benefits to attract and retain these workers.

Paternity Leave and Flex Time
The Monster survey also revealed that working fathers are increasingly embracing workplace benefits that until recently were utilized only by mothers - 71 percent of dads with a child under five took paternity leave when offered by their employers, compared with just 48 percent of dads with a school-aged child. In addition, approximately one-third of dads with toddlers reported that their employer provided paternity leave benefits or flexible work schedules for fathers; yet among working men whose employers offered paternity leave, 58 percent took advantage of it, and 71 percent of men adopted flexible work schedules when it was offered by their employers. Furthermore, when searching for a job, 82 percent of working dads view companies more positively if they offer a flex time benefit.

Additional Key Findings
* If money were no object, 68 percent of dads would consider being a stay-at-home parent.

* The workplace benefit that fathers appreciate most is a flexible work schedule (53 percent), followed by telecommuting (24 percent), onsite child care (12 percent) and paid paternity leave (10 percent).

* Almost half of working fathers (46 percent) never bring work home during the week; 34 percent report one-two nights per week, 12 percent report three-four nights and eight percent report bringing projects home every night of the week.

* According to 78 percent of working father respondents, bringing work home during the week affects a dad's relationship with his child/children.

Father's Day Career Advice
For career advice specifically for fathers, visit Monster's Fathers' Balance microsite: http://content.monster.com/fathers-balance/Archive.aspx.

* Fathers' Quest for Balance: We love our kids. We love (or maybe just need) our jobs. Balancing the responsibilities of both is no small task.

* Putting Families First: Despite their desires to succeed in their careers, many men are scaling back on work for the sake of their families.

* The Perpetual Time Crunch: Work, wife, kids, house, school - dads have a lot going on. Is there any way for a modern father to find flexibility and do it all?

* What Dad Taught Me about Work: Whether through words of wisdom or a simple example, many Monster members have learned work lessons from their fathers.

Methodology
The Monster Intelligence Father's Day survey was an online study conducted from May 30 - June 1, 2007 of 1,011 full-time job seekers, including 330 working fathers and 473 working mothers. Monster Intelligence is the careers and recruitment research initiative of Monster.com.