A large proportion of men working in the City have children, so why are the strains and stresses of fatherhood not more commonly discussed in the office? According to Tom Beardshaw of the Executive Coaching Consultancy, much of the City has failed to recognise how families and society have changed - and before this failure impacts business too hard, the role of the father needs louder debate.

A consultant to executives at the likes of Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Deutsche Bank and Goldman Sachs, Beardshaw was part of the lobby that helped introduce paternity leave into UK law in 2003. He tells FN why City employers are playing catch up and must offer male employees more flexible working.