Mark Zuckerberg is setting an example for his employees by taking the full term of paternity leave offered by Facebook.
The Facebook CEO made the revelation in a post to the social media site, as he prepares to welcome his second child with wife Priscilla.
The couple, who are already parents to daughter Max, are expecting another daughter.
Mark, 33, confirmed that he will be taking the full two months’ paternity leave offered by his company, and he will be fully availing of its flexibility.
“This time, I’m going to take advantage of Facebook’s option to take leave in parts,” wrote the doting dad, who also took two months off after Max’s birth.
“I’ll take a month off to be with Priscilla and the girls at the beginning, and then we’ll spend the whole month of December together as well.
“I’m looking forward to bonding with our new little one, and taking Max on adventures.”
Mark admitted that he is ‘grateful’ for the opportunity to spend so much time with his loved ones at such a special time.
Of course, this policy is not just reserved for the CEO; Mark explained that Facebook’s perspective on parental leave, offered to all employees, forms an important part of the company’s ethics.
“At Facebook, we offer four months of maternity and paternity leave because studies show that when working parents take time to be with their newborns, it’s good for the entire family,” he added.
“And I’m pretty sure the office will still be standing when I get back.”
Mark came in for great praise in the comment section of his post, which was accompanied by a photo of his daughter and their gorgeous pet dog.
“This kind of policy is not only good for families, it is good for society. If it were universal, we’d find our society to be not only happier but more prosperous – just like we did when we took kids out of factories and sent them to school,” wrote one.
“You are a great example for young people to look up to! Keep up the good work!” another chimed in.
Mark and Priscilla previously used Facebook to reach out to couples struggling to conceive, following their own devastating experience.
The couple, who have been married for five years, revealed that they had endured three miscarriages before finally welcoming precious little Max.
We think Mark – and Facebook – are setting a great example for other companies.
