For industry’s better half

Font Size

Print

Feedback

Email

Discuss

Related Articles

Tata Steel completes $546-mn exchange offer for CA...Dell Q3 profit dips 54 per centRIL shareholders approve 1:1 bonus issue

: Women in the workforce need special benefits. Or do they? The argument for and against it will continue for a long time to come. However, some corporates have already put ‘women friendly’ work plans and are happy to be seen as ‘caring employers’.

What do women want at the workplace? Well, to be able to climb up the corporate ladder, but not have her family life disrupted while doing so. Flexi hours for the new mother and a crèche, where children can be taken care of. Most mothers want a maternity leave period that goes beyond the mandatory three months.

DSP Merril Lynch has recently put into practice some programmes that benefit women... The company believes that its senior women employees must interact with young professionals, especially women, some of who are diffident. To do that, it takes the professionals to the campuses. “When young girls are looking towards a career in the financial services sector, they need to be told of the road ahead. Our experienced senior women professionals can talk of life beyond a classroom,” said Vijayalakshmi Srinivasan, head, HR at the company.

A woman professional is most often looking for programmes that will enhance her skills. Most times this may not be found in an academic or technical course. “We find that there are many young women who want to talk with senior professionals, across sections in the organisation,” said Srinivasan. “We facilitate such interactions so that seniors can provide encouragement that will help the young in their careers and give advice on career decisions.”

Women want a host of comfort factors. Like flexi-working, telecommuting, extended child care holidays, project management roles. “We have enmeshed all of them for our women employees,” said Arun Rao, VP-HR, AppLabs. “We aim to make working with the company a good experience for everyone. The company has women employees providing leadership to two of six service line organisations, which are essential building blocks to our organisation structure.”

VLCC Health Care Ltd, the slimming, beauty and health brand, employs about 65% women. At every level, women are encouraged to go up the career ladder, said Subhasish Das Gupta, head, HR, VLCC Health Care Ltd. “We encourage dieticians to become centre managers, area managers and vice presidents, if they deserve it. For those who are less literate but are skilled personnel, we provide them opportunities so that they can become therapists.”