As traditional roles in the family evolve, some companies are implementing and strongly encouraging paternity leave policies. Scott Newman and Tonya Grindon talk with the Tennessean about Baker Donelson's generous paternity leave policies for female and male employees.
Mr. Newman notes that, when his second child was born, he took time off from work without having to worry about being penalized financially. "It made the transition to one, then to two children much smoother," said Mr. Newman. "I never felt guilty for being away from work."
"Culturally, it's hard for men to take paternity leave because it's so new," Ms. Grindon said. "It's incumbent upon managers and leaders of businesses to encourage men to take the paternity leave and to offer them incentives to do so. To change the culture of an organization, it has to start somewhere, so if I can get some of these men to start taking leave, it becomes the norm and it's not a big deal for the men to take paternity leave."