In 2017, Knowledge Services expanded upon its traditional maternity leave benefits and introduced paternity leave benefits for fathers. Having been in effect for just over a year, several of our team members have been able to put their paternity leave to use and reflect on their experience as they adjusted to life with new additions to their families.
Ryan is a KS team member who works on our product development team and recently took advantage of the Knowledge Services paternity leave benefit. He and his wife recently welcomed their third child.
“I had never had paternity leave before,” stated Ryan, the father of two children under six and his newest addition, an 8-week old son. “This was our third child but the first time using any sort of paternity leave benefit. As a soon-to-be “new” working parent, whether it’s your first child or your third, PTO becomes a precious resource once you find out you’re expecting. Maintaining work/life balance is difficult as you’re trying to conserve most of your PTO until the due date.”
Having a paternity leave that allows for time-off when the baby arrives as well as designated time the full year following to attend doctor appointments and allow for the necessary routine changes that follow, “helps with the logistics of it all,” stated Ryan. “It relieves a little bit of the pressure.”
Going from a family of four to a family of five created additional logistical challenges in balancing multiple children, careers, the home, and the adjustment of welcoming the newest addition to their family. “There is a lot of prep work when you’re expecting a baby in addition to the changes following its arrival. Having a paternity leave allows you to have focused time with your baby, space to balance your priorities, and the ability to maintain your health while juggling the transition of a growing personal life amidst a busy professional life,” Ryan recalled.
“It’s a true testament to what the company stands for – being a company that puts their people first. They are dedicated to their team members and work hard to create an environment that supports a healthy work/life balance at every stage of a team member’s life,” Ryan concluded.
