Working Dads too scared to take Paternity Leave

How sad that fathers today feel unable to take paternity leave when they’re entitled to it.
It seems that business can’t shake off the idea that people need to be at their desks, working long hours in order to prove themselves. Why can’t we wake up to the fact that happy staff are likely to be more productive ? And that someone with a new baby is also likely to be distracted and unable to give their full attention to the task in hand if they feel they’re missing out on being at home with the new arrival?
It’s obvious that new babies need to see as much of both parents as possible and that if their father is not around in the early days bonding is likely to be difficult for both. It’s obvious too that new Mums need as much help as they can get.
And yet it sounds as if fathers are worried they’ll be frowned on for asking for time off......in much the same way as women have learned never to mention the kids whilst at work.
It’s almost as if there’s a great conspiracy to pretend that most people don’t have families. And what’s bizarre about that is that surely most people go to work in order to be able to have a family, and then to support that family and ensure a decent standard of life....?
So why can’t we all acknowledge this and get on with making the workplace a family friendly place instead of somewhere that exists on an altogether different planet?