Back to a working life – but one with more flexibility
She spent five years as a homemaker after her child was born. The exorbitant child care fees was among the reasons why Lam Mei Ling quit her job then.
But for the past one year, Lam has returned to her previous job as an accountant.
The “hybrid” arrangement at her workplace gives her the flexibility to work and care for her family at the same time.
“Now, I just have to leave my daughter with my in-laws when I’m in the office,” said Lam, 45.
“I could not do so previously because my in-laws were not available from Mondays to Fridays and my daughter was too young,” she added.
Lam is now allowed to work from home two days a week. The job had given her additional income amid the rising cost of living.
Initially, it was tough to readjust to working life because some procedures in her job had changed, but eventually she made it through due to support from her colleagues.
Lam is among the many Malaysian women who have returned to the workforce.
Data from the Statistics Department showed that female participation in the workforce went up in the last quarter of last year, especially those from the age bracketof45to54.
Single mother June Lee, 49, got back her previous job as the vicepresident of a bank after taking a two-year break for her cancer treatment.
“I returned to work to gain a sense of purpose and to stay productive and for a sense of continuity,” she said.
It was initially overwhelming to catch up on work as office procedures had changed during her time away from work.
“Fortunately, I have a supportive manager and team who guided me along the way. I was assigned projects in which I can work at a more flexible pace,” she said.
“It is crucial for companies to support employees who return to work after taking a long break.”
These programmes for “returnees” who rejoined the workforce could help smoothen the transition.
“It can help them get used to the changes which took place during their absence, so that they are not caught in a quandary,” she added.