Invest in the Father, Empower the Village

Of all the things I’ve done in life, all the titles I’ve held and will hold down the line, Father is the one I’m cherishing the most, and it’s not even close! I never saw this for myself, having a baby, being responsible for the well-being of another human. If you had asked me anytime before last year, the answer would be absolutely not, I’m never having kids. I’m overjoyed that particular notion is gone.

The real reason I’m writing this post is to shout out MORTAR, for once again proving that our core value of being Revolutionary isn’t just lip service. That value plays out in how they (we) care for our team. They worked closely with me to co-create a paternity leave plan unique to my needs. Paternity leave is rare and I’m grateful.

What has this Revolutionary decision done for me? It’s allowed me to adjust to parenthood, support my partner, love my baby, and manage my household without an additional burden that could, and likely would, dampen the experience. In 3 days, I tackled more house projects than I have in a year. I’ve learned my baby’s patterns and comfortably adjusted my sleep schedule to accommodate her needs.

My time away has also taught me that collaboration is beyond necessary. Days before stepping away from the office, we got some great news that we landed a new contract in Akron and we had to move fast to plan for a formal announcement. Thankfully, we have a strong team to support the project. My Expansion Manager, Tim, stepped up big and it was such a relief to know I could rely on someone to carry the work forward in my absence.

I’m not just writing this to big up MORTAR and my team members. I’m writing this in the hope that more companies and organizations invest more in the new Fathers on their teams. I’m writing this to encourage flexibility. I’m writing this to encourage true support. I’m writing this for the families who need Dad around. I’m writing this in the hopes it reaches the right audience. Take care of your employees so they can take care of their families AND your company. Happy employees lead to strong collaborators. Do what you can to empower your village.