Paternity benefits 'can help businesses'

People with management skills should offer paternity benefits to their staff in order to boost flexibility, a think-tank has suggested.

David Bartlett, deputy chief executive of the Fatherhood Institute, said the businesses would benefit from such arrangements as workers would be more content.

He added that a balance between childcare and professional life will reduce stress and help staff be more efficient and productive.

"What happens under the current regime is that you lose some of your best staff because they are not prepared to work under those conditions, or they just cannot make it add up," Mr Bartlett explained.

"If you give them the flexibility to arrange how they organise childcare, they will do that to the best of their abilities and you will hold on to more people. Ultimately that is a good business case."

The right to request flexible working was extended from parents with children under the age of six to parents with children under the age of 16 in April.