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: is considered too little a time by most working mothers to bond with their child and leave it at home to join office. “We allow mothers to work flexible hours, but all these depend on case to case basis,” said Srinivasan, DSP Merril Lynch. Not just women, but men can avail of paternity leave for a week at the company, she added.

Most women want to extend their maternity leave to six months and it is a facility we offer those who want it, said Rajen Kalia, Max New York Life. This comes at a price though. Women get paid only for the mandatory three months leave. “But the good thing is that they need not worry that their job is at stake if they extend it,” said Kalia.

Safety and security is a major concern for women at the workplace and outside of it. The fear of going home alone late at night is worrisome for most. Rajee Sundaran, a professional working for an MNC, said, “most days I spend considerable time looking for a taxi that will take me home safe. Finding one in the late hours is a problem and then driving home in one is a fear that refuses to die in spite of living in a city for years.”

Max New York Life, for instance, rates security and safety for women at the workplace and outside of it as its core values. “We don't differentiate on gender where our employees are concerned,” said Kalia. “However, we ensure that we help women employees get cabs, when they work late hours. If women employees are on a late night shift, then a security man drops them home in a cab.”

Kate Rattan, 22, recently joined a firm where she was part of the technical team. Her job was challenging, she said, but it was the unwanted personal attention from a senior male member of the team, that made her very uncomfortable. “I was new to the organisation, did not want to risk my job, and was scared to confide in anyone.” After she mustered up the courage to go and talk to a senior woman employee, her problem was addressed.