25 October 2024
Parental Leave Spotlight: Anthony Bazouni
How did you take your parental leave?
My parental leave was split into two. I took 6 weeks off when my wife gave birth in March, and I’ll be taking the next six weeks at the end of November.
How/when did you know you could take flexible parental leave?
My colleague, Joshua in the Commercial Service Control team advised me of his parental leave journey as he and his wife had a child before us. Once I knew the information was readily available, Vicky from HR provided a lot of assistance throughout the process.
What factors influenced your decision to take parental leave?
- Baby John is our first child.
- I wanted to be there and show full support.
- I have always wanted to be a hands-on father.
What was your experience like during your flexible parental leave?
The experience during my leave was fabulous as I was able to establish a bond and be present. I was also able to witness growth and watch our son achieve milestones. This had a positive impact on our family as I was able to be hands on when needed, which brought my wife and I closer.
What advice would you give to other men who are considering taking flexible parental leave?
I definitely recommend taking parental leave as it allows you to spend quality time with your newborn and to also give 100% support to your wife/partner.
Can you share a memorable moment from your parental leave?
Witnessing his first smile and spending a lot of quality time with him.
Have you noticed any changes in your perspective on work-life balance or gender roles as a result of your experience with flexible parental leave?
Yes, I think everything should be fair and equal. There is no such thing as that is "her" job or "his". Being an active father also reduces a lot of stress/pressure for my wife.
Studies show men who take parental leave are more likely to return to work with an increased ability to multi-task and be more empathetic leaders. What have you learned personally?
I have always been great at multi-tasking, if anything it has enhanced the skill.
What do you believe we need to do to encourage more men to take an active role in parenting and consider flexible parental leave?
Conversations around post-natal depression are important. A lot of men think this is a joke and does not exist. We live in a society now where we can be part of our child’s life and play an active role.
Now that you’ve experienced taking parental leave, is this be something that you’d look for in an employer?
Yes of course, parental leave really helped us at the start. In my case I will not be going anywhere, so no need to look.
