Have flexible working hours for women, bosses told

KUALA LUMPUR: Flexible working hours for women in relevant employment areas should be implemented in this country, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.

Dr Wan Azizah said this was to optimise the role and contribution of women in the employment sector, while they remained committed to balancing their responsibilities as a wife and mother.

“We have to think about how to enable mothers to remain and adjust themselves in the job market.

“We have many highly-educated women with great track records, but they also have small children to breastfeed and take care of.

“If we don’t tap the opportunity, it will be a great loss to the country.

“Yes, flexi-hours work arrangement is not easy... but it can be done for something more efficient,” she told Bernama in a recent interview.

Dr Wan Azizah, who is also women, family and community development minister, said the flexi-hours approach could be further studied to enable it to be well and openly accepted by employers.

“We know that some employers can accept it if their staff are not in the office as long as the job is done.

“However, there are also employers who are old school and believe that if their workers are not in the office, they are not doing their job.

“That is why we need to carry out a study to make flexi-hours work arrangment acceptable.

“Employers have the tendency to think that working from home will lead to absenteeism.

“We have to change their mindset, especially in certain areas of employment.

“As long as you get the job done, you should get your salary.”