Deloitte just gave dads 6 months off—and it’s a win for moms too
Eight years ago, when my third child was born, my husband—who worked at a major consulting firm—wasn’t granted more than two weeks of paternity leave. Why? Because, in the words of his company, he was “not the primary parent.”
Never mind that I was a startup co-founder who also needed to get back to work. Never mind that we saw ourselves not as “primary” or “secondary” parents, but as co-parents who had a baby together and each deserved time to recover and bond. That moment was frustrating, outdated, and felt like a penalty for believing in shared parenting.
Which is why Deloitte’s recent move to offer six months of fully paid leave to all new fathers in the UK feels like a major step forward—not just for dads, but for women in leadership, too.
A big move from a big firm
Deloitte’s new policy, which went into effect in January 2025, equalizes parental leave for all employees, giving fathers the same 26 weeks of fully paid leave that new mothers already receive.
The reason? To help more women advance in leadership.
The move was backed by research. A YouGov study commissioned by Deloitte found that:
More than half of working mothers believe they could progress further in their careers if their partners had more parental leave and flexibility.
57% of working moms have reduced their hours due to workplace inflexibility of their partner.
Only 25% of working dads said they had to cut back their hours for caregiving.
This gap is one of the biggest barriers to women moving up in their careers—not just in consulting, but across industries. When men are expected to work at full capacity after having a child, women inevitably absorb more of the caregiving responsibilities.
Related: Sweden now pays grandparents to take parental leave. America, it’s time to catch up.
Why this isn’t just a perk for dads—it’s a win for moms, too
A policy like this isn’t just about fairness for fathers—it directly benefits working mothers.
It challenges the “primary parent” model. By making long paternity leave the norm, Deloitte is shifting the cultural expectation that childcare falls mainly on moms.
It supports female leadership. When dads take real leave, moms don’t have to put their careers on hold.
It pushes other firms to do better. Deloitte is the first of the “Big Four” to make this move. If competitors like EY, KPMG, and PwC follow suit, it could set a new standard across industries.
Beyond consulting: What needs to change next?
While Deloitte’s move is a huge step forward, it also raises the question: Why aren’t more companies doing this?
Here’s how workplaces can rethink parental leave and caregiving policies for all employees:
Equal paid leave for both parents. If both parents get time off, we remove the career penalty from moms and normalize caregiving for dads.
Flexibility beyond the first six months. Parental leave is crucial, but so is ongoing workplace flexibility—remote work, adjusted hours, and PTO for caregiving.
Paid leave for caregiving beyond infancy. Deloitte is also offering extra paid leave for neonatal care, fertility treatment, and long-term caregivers. More companies should follow this model.
Related: Companies are cutting parental leave—why doesn’t the U.S. value families?
The bigger picture: Redefining work, parenting, and leadership
Deloitte’s decision to give men six months of fully paid leave isn’t just about families—it’s about the future of work.
For too long, parental leave has been a career advantage for men and a career penalty for women. This policy challenges that dynamic, proving that when men take real leave, women thrive in leadership, families thrive at home, and companies create a more sustainable, equitable workplace.
Would this policy have changed the experience my husband and I had eight years ago? Absolutely. But seeing progress now—especially at this scale—gives me hope that we won’t be having this same conversation in another eight years.
