A recent Fair Work Commission ruling in Australia has underscored the importance of family-friendly workplaces—and how denying fathers flexibility entrenches gender inequality.
In this case, first reported by AFR’s David Marin-Guzman, a Freight and Logistics Services Australia employee sought an additional work-from-home (WFH) day every second week to care for his 18-month-old child. His wife had lost flexibility in her job, and the couple wanted to delay daycare until their child turned two. The employee proposed using BubbaDesk, a shared workspace with on-site nannies, allowing him to work while ensuring his child’s needs were met.
The company rejected his request, arguing that duties like changing nappies and settling a crying baby were too distracting, would negatively impact customer service, and could set a “concerning precedent” for other employees. However, the Fair Work Commission sided with the employee, ruling that:
- Employers must accommodate flexible work requests if they can reasonably do so, even if it means adjusting standard employment terms.
- The company failed to prove that an extra WFH day would harm productivity or customer service.
- Rejecting such requests without valid reasoning limits workplace equity and can discourage employees—especially fathers—from seeking flexibility.
This case highlights a deeper issue: when men face barriers to caregiving, the burden of unpaid care continues to fall disproportionately on women. If fathers are denied flexibility, mothers often bear the brunt of caregiving responsibilities, limiting their career growth, increasing financial dependency, and reinforcing outdated gender roles.
Traditional Expectations: When workplaces assume that caregiving is solely a woman’s responsibility, they make it harder for men to actively participate in their family lives.
Career Penalties for Mothers: If fathers can’t share caregiving duties, mothers are more likely to reduce work hours or leave the workforce entirely—exacerbating the gender pay gap.
A Double Standard: If a mother had made the same WFH request, would it have been met with the same resistance? The ruling exposes how outdated workplace norms still treat fatherhood as secondary to work.
Why Family-Friendly Workplaces Matter
A workplace that supports all employees regardless of gender creates a more productive, engaged, and loyal workforce. Companies that prioritise flexible work, caregiving leave, and equitable policies are more likely to retain talent and foster a culture of inclusion.
This ruling is a wake-up call for businesses: True workplace flexibility isn’t just about supporting working mothers—it’s about ensuring that everyone, including fathers, has equal access to caregiving responsibilities. Because when we normalise caregiving for men, we create a more gender-equal future for all.
