Baby blues and job interviews
Men don’t tend to get grilled about their childcare plans, writes Alexandra Cain.
‘I’ve got a story for you,’’ said my mate Clara. Usually when friends say this they definitely don’t. Not this time. Clara is returning to work after having had her first child 15 months ago.
A highly experienced and talented marketing executive who has worked in London and Hong Kong, she’s no lightweight.
But that’s how she’s been treated going for job interviews. The questions to which she’s been subjected are repugnant. She’s been asked if her head’s really ready to go back to work. She’s been thoroughly grilled about her childcare arrangements.
One recruiter even wanted to preinterview Clara before putting her forward for a job – despite her already having had numerous interviews – because ‘‘mums coming back to work tend to forget how to interview’’. Charming.
Now let’s take a look at how her husband’s work responded when their child took its first breath: He was promoted the week she was born and promptly sent to Melbourne.
Family didn’t come into it and noone would ever dream of asking him about his childcare arrangements. It’s sick making.
I understand employers need to feel their staff will be reliable. But there are ways for small-business owners to more appropriately interview parents returning to work after taking time off to look after dependents.
Karen Gately, a director of human resources consultancy Ryan Gately, says it is reasonable for both sides to have an honest conversation about their expectations.
‘‘But if somebody is ready to return to work and not asking for any special considerations, in the eyes of the law it’s critical not to ask inappropriate questions that reveal the fact decisions are being made based on unlawful criteria,’’ she explains.
‘‘Someone’s parental status is not a basis against which to make a decision around their employment. Questions like, ‘Are there ways we can support your transition back into the workplace?’ are reasonable.’’
Gately says the best approach is for employers to explore what they need to know about a job candidate to enable them to be successful.
‘‘You need to know they are willing and available for the hours they’re putting their hand up to work.
‘‘But under no circumstances is it appropriate to ask about their childcare arrangements, unless there are ways the employer is going to support those arrangements.’’
Aside from her professional experience, Gately knows only too well about balancing work and a family.
Her husband has been a full-time father for more than 20 years, after she returned to work after six weeks’ maternity leave.
‘‘I didn’t need any support from my employer because we already had ourselves figured out at home in terms of the way we were going to look after our family for me to work full time.
‘‘So, while people might be curious and tempted to ask some of these questions, they’re not actually relevant,’’ she says.
Clara lives about 90 minutes outside Sydney, but she lives near transport and is happy to commute. But she has been reticent to ask prospective employers about the potential to work a day a week from home – even though in a marketing role that would usually be more than possible – because she thinks even raising the idea could disadvantage her.
That’s a sad indictment on the reality of work – even though we’re supposed to be encouraging a more flexible workplace.
Gately says the depressing reality is a lot of change needs to happen for the majority of employers to have the right attitude to flexible working.
One shift is an acknowledgment of direct discrimination as well as unconscious biases we all have.
‘‘Unconscious bias is where we make assumptions about what it means for a mum returning to work to be committed to the role,’’ she says.
‘‘But as employers we need to be aware of those unconscious biases and focused on treating people with respect.
‘‘So it’s reasonable to ask a question about flexible working. But there’s no guarantee there will be a reasonable response.’’
She says employers are struggling with the notion of supervising staff not physically sitting in front of them.
‘‘A lot of employers are closedminded to those kind of work arrangements. And they make assumptions that if somebody’s asking for flexibility, it’s because they’re less committed than they should be.’’
This shows there are opportunities for small-business owners to think about their hiring practices. Good talent is hard to find and Clara is a catch for any business.
It’s a pity many seem to look at recruitment through such a narrow lens, especially when hiring mums. –Sydney Morning Herald