Ruhi Hermansen is currently taking paternity leave as part of NORDEN’s new global Parent Package. He encourages all new fathers to take up the benefit.

Five weeks into his paternity leave, Ruhi is deep into childcare duties – caring not just for his 10 month-old son Vincent, but also his four-year-old daughter Elia, whose daycare has been closed due to Corona.

“It’s been an intense start to the year with both kids at home, but we are managing!” says Ruhi.

He took over full-time childcare from his wife who has returned to work after maternity leave; and is taking 12 weeks of leave on full pay, thanks a new global benefit offered by NORDEN to all new fathers, or co-parents.

“I didn’t get this opportunity when Elia was born, so I’m grateful to have this time with Vincent now, and I can really feel the bond with him being tightened every day.”
As operations manager, looking after vessels across the globe, Ruhi has a demanding job and is used to being on-call 24/7.
“A captain could call me any time, day or night, and I am used to that. It felt very strange initially to completely switch off from work for these 12 weeks. But my manager and team have been incredibly supportive. It’s the first time I’ve been able to put my phone on silent, or to leave it behind it when I take the kids to the park. That’s been a very unusual experience for me!”

Instead, his days are spent at the playground, playing with Vincent and helping him practice walking
“I feel we’re building a framework for the future. It’s been great to take some pressure off my wife, as until now Vincent has been so attached to her that she couldn’t be away from him. Now Vincent has connected more to me. I’m able to comfort him in the night and put him back to sleep, so she’s getting some freedom back which is great for family life.”

Ruhi’s next challenge is to settle Vincent into daycare, before he returns to work in March.

“I know it will be difficult to leave him alone without me there, but I’m also excited to see him interact with other kids and starting up his own life.

“Having had this opportunity, I feel so motivated to go back to work in a few weeks,” says Ruhi. “12 weeks might seem a long time to be away from your job, but I have to work for the next 35 years so for me this is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to connect with my child. I would encourage every new dad in NORDEN to take it.”

NORDEN’s Parent Package: 

• All new fathers or co-parents in NORDEN with children born from 1 November 2021 are entitled to 12 weeks leave on full pay, across all global locations.
• The paid leave must be used in the child’s first year.
• Employees on unpaid parental leave are entitled to employer-paid pension and paid vacation for up to six months.
• A Parental Mentor Scheme before and after parental leave
• Tools and assistance for managers and employees to support employees through the transition.
• An industry-wide Parental Leave Network (DK only)