80% Male Parental Leave Take-Up Rate! Learning from Finland's Keys to Promoting Parental Leave Take-Up

Horiuchi: Finland lacks a culture of returning to one's parents' home for childbirth, and three-generation households living together are rare. Therefore, it's commonplace for fathers to take leave immediately after birth, with both parents raising the child together from the start. Even so, voices calling it "unfair" that mothers can take longer parental leave emerged. Consequently, in 2021, the law was amended to allow both parents to take seven months of parental leave each, and this change will soon be implemented. For Finnish men, parental leave is a "right" to fulfill their responsibilities as parents.

Ito: In Japan, it seems common for parents to rely on support from their own parents. However, with the working age extending, many grandparents are also working, so it seems likely that more people will find themselves unable to rely on their parents in the future.

Horiuchi: Of course, everyone starts out feeling uncertain about parenting. But in Finland, the fundamental stance is that families handle their own affairs, and the support systems to enable this seem relatively well-established.

For example, the government strongly encourages fathers to accompany mothers to every prenatal checkup. Each visit includes a pre-survey, and beyond medical checks for mother and child, they conduct interviews from various angles about the parents' emotional changes and daily lives to provide appropriate care.

This is carried out at facilities called "Neuvora," which provide childbirth and childcare support. Similar to Japan's public health centers, they offer free, regular checkups for children and parenting consultations for parents from pregnancy through the child's elementary school enrollment. While Japan often relies on group checkups, Neuvora allows parents to spend about an hour one-on-one with a public health nurse. They can discuss their concerns and receive advice on childcare, providing much more in-depth information.

Ishii: It's more like counseling than just a checkup. In Japan, compared to women, men tend to have fewer opportunities to access childcare information. Is it harder for such an information gap to develop in Finland?

Horiuchi: I think so. At Neuvora, some municipalities even offer check-ups specifically for fathers, addressing topics that might be difficult to discuss with the mother present. My supervisor said using Neuvora helped him realize, "Childcare is something both men and women can do." Others shared experiences like, "My wife was moody during pregnancy, which was tough, but learning about the huge physical changes happening inside her body helped me understand and cope."

Also, when pregnancy is confirmed, the government distributes a booklet. Both sides serve as covers, with one side containing information for mothers and the other for fathers. Finnish fathers have many opportunities to engage with childcare and make it their own responsibility even before the child is born.

In Finland, when a child is born, the government provides a free "Childcare Package" – a box filled with childcare essentials. It's an option instead of the maternity allowance, and most people choose the "Childcare Package." The outer box of the package doubles as a simple baby cot.

 

Is Japan fundamentally a country where it's hard to take time off? What new approaches to taking time off are needed going forward?

Ishii: I understand that Finland also had low male paternity leave uptake rates in the past. Was there a specific catalyst for the improvement?

Horiuchi: Although the male paternity leave system was established in the 1970s, the uptake rate remained stubbornly low. The major turning point came in 1998 when the then-male Prime Minister took paternity leave. It was covered as a highly sensational event, and from there, the number of men taking paternity leave increased dramatically. I think it was significant that ministers, politicians, and corporate executives took the lead in demonstrating their willingness to take leave.

Ishii: When encouraging male employees to take paternity leave at work, many initially hesitate. One reason is the worry that their work will fall behind and cause trouble for the workplace. But if someone holding the unique position of head of state can take leave, it makes you think, "Surely I can too." Also, with such a high uptake rate, it suggests workplaces must have robust support systems in place to cover colleagues' duties, right?

Horiuchi: Exactly. It's very common to hire someone to cover during an employee's parental leave. Finland doesn't have a system for hiring fresh graduates, so university students have to compete on the same playing field as mid-career hires. By hiring university students and young people seeking work experience, we create a win-win situation. Furthermore, it's common to take extended leave, not just for childcare but including summer vacations. I think this has fostered an organizational culture where colleagues naturally cover each other's workloads.

Ito: So, do people feel less negative about their colleagues' workload increasing when they take parental leave?

Horiuchi: I don't think it's completely absent, but it's a mutual thing. Because they know in advance they'll be taking time off, they tend to prepare thoroughly for parental leave – handing over responsibilities early, being open with clients, and so on.

Ito: I see. I think many people, out of a desire not to inconvenience others, end up thinking they should handle things themselves if something comes up, which can lead to vague handovers. It would be great if we could change that mindset.

Ishii: Horiuchi-san, why do you think Japan's parental leave system hasn't progressed like Finland's?

Horiuchi: I feel Japan has a tendency to make taking time off difficult, not just for childcare leave. People struggle to take long vacations, and it's hard to leave work without overtime. In Finland, leaving without overtime is the norm regardless of whether you have children. Plus, daycare centers close around 4 or 5 PM, so you have to leave. With children's summer vacations lasting two and a half months, even if both parents took four weeks each, it wouldn't be enough. I think if the overall ease of taking leave improves first, parental leave uptake would likely increase too.

Ishii: We really need to change preconceptions and attitudes about how work has been done up until now. It's not just about individuals changing; it's crucial for companies and organizations to learn from new work practices, including examples from overseas, and to implement initiatives that foster understanding of each other's diverse work styles. I heard one company has a project where management visits the homes of employees raising children to experience the challenges of balancing childcare and work firsthand, including tasks like drop-offs and pick-ups.

Horiuchi: In the past, it was considered ideal to keep private life separate from the workplace. But going forward, I feel that if companies can adapt to some extent to each individual's lifestyle and family situation, both efficiency and motivation will increase.

Eliminating unconscious bias through dialogue is the first step in promoting childcare leave

Ito: When promoting Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I), bridging the gap in understanding between those directly involved and others is truly challenging. I didn't fully grasp the difficulty of balancing childcare and work until I became a parent myself.

Ishii: It requires imagination and communication skills, doesn't it? Within the Dentsu Group in Japan, we established the position of Chief Diversity Officer (CDO) in January 2022, with Yuko Kitakaze appointed to the role. Ms. Kitakaze often cites "unconscious bias" as a key term for realizing DE&I. Regarding taking childcare leave, I think a major cause of misunderstandings is when those directly involved and those around them don't communicate, leading to unconscious assumptions like, "This person is too busy with work to take childcare leave," or "Taking childcare leave will inconvenience others."

Horiuchi: It's important for both sides to voice their perspectives, and we need to engage in careful, face-to-face dialogue. Moreover, precisely because we live in an era demanding efficiency, the question of how to boost employee motivation is critical. I believe employees returning to work after taking sufficient childcare leave have high motivation for their jobs, and there are many ways they can apply experiences gained during their leave to their work.

Ito: At Dentsu Inc., the "Papa Lab" team is spearheading " PX (Paternity Transformation) "—an initiative to strategically transform organizational culture using male paternity leave as a catalyst. Among the benefits they highlight are developing multitasking skills through childcare and a heightened sense of responsibility as a father, which boosts motivation at work.

Horiuchi: Regarding work-life balance, Finland is actively challenging new initiatives, such as discussing a three-day workweek and conducting pilot tests for basic income. Finland has a culture quite fond of trials; if something seems promising, they adopt it quickly. Recently, after various evaluations, compulsory education was extended to age 18, and a trial to lower the compulsory education start age to 5 is currently underway.

Ishii: Ultimately, for people and organizations to grow sustainably, we need to flexibly adapt existing systems and methods through trial and error, evolving them into better forms as circumstances change.

Horiuchi: In Finland today, people who don't take parental leave are seen as cold-hearted (laughs). Above all, men's parental leave isn't seen as something for women; it's recognized as a right for men. It would be great if Japan also shifted toward a mindset where men take leave not just because their wives tell them to, but to enjoy the benefits for themselves.