Construction company Multiplex has reported a four-fold increase in the number of men taking primary carers leave compared to five years ago, signaling a culture shift in how parenting responsibilities are viewed and shared.
According to data supplied to the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA), 34 men took primary carers leave at Multiplex in 2023/24, compared with just one in 2018/19.
It comes as Multiplex launches an enhanced gender-neutral parental leave policy which, together with other gender equality initiatives like workplace behavior training and family wellbeing programs, is creating a catalyst for change.
“These numbers are encouraging because they represent a positive shift in mindset,” says Multiplex Executive Director of People Caitriona Comerford.
“It shows us that men are viewing their responsibilities at home differently and that they feel able to make choices about how they share those responsibilities without it negatively impacting their careers.
“Our Dads tell us that when they take parental leave it gives them a better understanding of what’s involved in caring for kids fulltime and the challenges faced in transitioning back to work. That means they can be advocates for colleagues taking parental leave and better support them when they do take that time away.”
MULTIPLEX’S UPDATED PARENTAL LEAVE POLICY
On the back of the success of its first gender-neutral parental leave policy, introduced in 2019, Multiplex has launched a new policy with added benefits – including extended periods of leave for primary and secondary carers, with no minimum tenure required.
Under Multiplex’s new policy, primary carers receive 20 weeks paid leave – representing an additional two weeks – while secondary carers receive three weeks paid leave, up from two weeks under the former policy.
“Removing the tenure requirement is important because it eliminates a potential barrier to attracting new talent and unlocks greater flexibility for our people to make choices for their families without fear of it impacting their career,” said Comerford.
The Policy continues to offer a range of best-in-class parental support initiatives such as coaching to help parents transition in and out of leave, and continuing superannuation contributions for primary carers during periods of unpaid parental leave.
CASE STUDY: DANIEL MALONEY
Daniel Maloney, a Project Manager at Multiplex in Victoria, recently took four months of primary carers leave to look after his daughter, Frankie. According to Maloney, he was hesitant at first.
“Coming up from my early days in construction, there were still some stereotypes around taking parental leave in my head. As a Project Manager on West Side Place, one of our biggest projects in Victoria at the time, I was also concerned how it might impact the job,” Maloney said.
“Ultimately those concerns were unfounded. My manager immediately told me to go for it and worked with me to minimise any impacts on the project, and the team was equally supportive.”
He says ultimately the experience was a once-in-a-lifetime chance to spend time with his daughter.
“As well as strengthening my relationship with Frankie, the experience gave me a greater appreciation for the role of the primary carer,” says Dan. “You think you know what the primary carer at home does, but you don’t really understand the continuous work that goes into a full day of looking after a child until you do it yourself. It has really helped us share the load at home now we’re both back at work.
“I definitely feel like it’s becoming more accepted and normal for men to not only take parental leave, but to be able to prioritise your family and be home when you need to as well.”
MULTIPLEX DATA SUMMARY:
Number of Multiplex Employees Taking Primary Carers Parental Leave for the WGEA Reporting period:
| Year | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 | 2019/20 | 2018/19 |
| Female | 29 (46%) | 27 (53%) | 32 (57%) | 34 (83%) | 24 (89%) | 19 (95%) |
| Male | 34 (54%) | 24 (47%) | 24 (43%) | 7 (17%) | 3 (11%) | 1 (5%) |
The shift in mindset is also having a positive knock-on effect for whole teams. Multiplex’s most recent Employee Experience Survey showed a 10% upswing in favourable responses to having the flexibility to meet personal and family commitments, and a 5% increase to having managers who role model flexibility.