While we were having lunch during a training session, by
chance the table on which I was eating was occupied by all young women. One of
them was married and was dissuading her female colleagues to pursue a career
post marriage citing these reasons-
- It is too difficult to manage so many fronts- home, work, spouse & kids, self etc. especially if there is no support system at home like a mother-in-law or mother or someone else to take on the responsibility at home.
- Men at work take them to be a threat.
- There are ego clashes at home.
She concluded saying that it will be better if men and women
stick to their traditional roles.
None of us could digest what she said or agree with her
fully. Nevertheless, a few ideas about corporate initiatives to retain woman
workforce and help them maintain work life balance came to my mind after
listening to her.
1.
Crèches & nurseries for toddlers and young
kids- Some of the IT majors have already started these, and the concept is
quite well accepted in developed countries where women have been working.
2.
Play schools.
3.
Schools for children of employees with
transportation facilities.
4.
Flexi-hours, work from home facility – innovating
systems & processes through which they can operate from their homes.
5.
Refresher & up-gradation training for sharpening
skills & enhancing knowledge post maternity break; nomination of such
candidate for some similar course.
While women take all the responsibility of
nurturing lives, let us as a society , as employing organizations take some
steps towards supporting & encouraging them to grow holistically, while we
also get to retain a good workforce who keeps her loyalties towards us.
