During the early days of LinkedIn, when the company was only 10 or 20 people, people would leave work at 5pm. Start ups don't have to be this arbitrary 24/7 grind.
You know how LinkedIn worked in that manner? They focused on work COMPLETELY for those 8 hours and were able to get shit done.
I'm sure you'd agree that they've built a very successful company.
If the guy did try to contribute to work during his paternity leave, I'd respect that. But he didn't. He just kicked back and read "Lean In" in his spare time. His coworkers probably didn't even have the luxury of having enough spare time to read that book.
You honestly think employees at a company that offers 4 months paternity leave don't have enough free time to read a single book? I am struggling to understand if you're trolling, or really don't understand long term productivity and business as much as it seems...
I have two immediate thoughts. Forming a company and then taking time off of work to raise a child for 4 month is indicative of non-ideal planning, more than anything. That said, in this case the gentleman in question is an employee of an established company, not the cofounder to a startup.
Additionally, leaving work at 5pm every day sounds great and, I suspect, may actually result in a more productive work week with happier employees. All parties win in such instances.
And you've never been a co-founder of any real startup, have you? I mean, I can't imagine anyone who has raised money and hired people and had gone that route to really pose this type of question, especially in this context.
You should take a step back, leave the office, and think about why so many people are telling you that you are flat out wrong.
That you had 9 months notice and you're only telling me now? ;)
Seriously: I've met a minuscule number of people that can produce genuinely useful stuff when really working more than 8 hours in a stretch. I've met several orders of magnitude more people who think they can. I'm happy existing outside of both groups, and working with similar modest souls.
Also: I'd suggest getting up earlier and finishing at 4.
You know how LinkedIn worked in that manner? They focused on work COMPLETELY for those 8 hours and were able to get shit done.
I'm sure you'd agree that they've built a very successful company.