How fathers’ parenting leave practices reshape workplace norms

Welcome to a CEDAR seminar with Satu Helske, University of Turku.

 How fathers’ parenting leave practices reshape workplace norms: Exploring adaptation processes through feedback-augmented hidden Markov models

Abstract:
Active father involvement strengthens father–child relationships, improves children's educational attainment, promotes gender equality, and enhances family resilience – contributing, in turn, to broader societal sustainability. Well-designed parental leave policies can support greater father involvement, yet the pace of change toward shared caregiving differs considerably both between and within countries.

Workplace contexts can constrain or incentivise leave-taking through normative pressures, organisational policies, and concerns over job security or career development. Our study examines reciprocal influences: not only how workplace contexts shape fathers' choices, but also how fathers' leave-taking behaviour may reshape workplace norms. For example, when high-skilled fathers leverage their bargaining power to take leave, their actions may normalise such behaviour among peers, potentially triggering broader organisational change. The aim is to identify local tipping points where shifts in group behaviour and norms occur.

And some notes from Satu about the plan for the talk:
I begin the presentation with a brief introduction to selected Markovian models. I then present first results from our study, which applies a feedback-augmented non-homogeneous hidden Markov model to Finnish full-population administrative register data with employer–employee linkages. This approach allows us to quantify how previous fathers' leave choices reshape workplace contexts, thereby influencing subsequent fathers' decisions. In doing so, we map a dynamic, two-way process of adaptation between fathers and their workplaces.

All interested are welcome to participate in CEDAR seminars. The seminars are held online via Zoom. If you wish to participate via zoom contact Mojgan Padyab.