Now, new moms want more challenging jobs
NEW DELHI: What do women want from their jobs when they return, post maternity? It’s not flexible work hours, but better career opportunities and challenging roles. Sample this. Prachi Kulkarni, 35, a human resource (HR) manager with Godrej Consumer Products Ltd (GCPL), took maternity leave two years back. Soon after her return, she was promoted to the role of HR, national sales. Kulkarni accepted the offer and today, she leads international HR for sales vertical, India and SAARC.
“We have noticed that women, if given, challenging roles — post maternity, stick to working. If they feel their career lacks lustre, they tend to quit work and derive happiness out of kids and family,” said Shikha Sharma, MD and CEO, Axis Bank. “Two of my colleagues were offered challenging job profiles, immediately after they joined back and today, they both are at senior management positions” Axis is not alone. Over 70% of companies are keen to increase the number of women in their workforce, according to a report by Flexi Careers, a social enterprise which works in the area of diversity and inclusion.
Companies, including HCL Technologies, IBM, MTS, Telenor, Dabur India, Godrej and Tata Group among others, are devising strategies to retain women, post maternity, by offering key projects.
HCL Technologies has designed a programme, Stepping Stones, to retain women, post maternity. The programme counsels new mother about career opportunities in HCL. In 2014-15, 949 women registered under the programme. “We have seen a healthy rise in the return ratio of women employees from maternity leave.,” a HCL spokesperson said.
FMCG firm Dabur India stays in touch with women colleagues while they are on maternity leaves, to make them feel connected with their profession. The company offers big projects and responsible profiles, once these women are back to work. “Women now look at maternity as an intrinsic part of their professional journey and are willing to take on challenging roles on joining back,” said V Krishnan, executive director, human resources, Dabur India. Hiring of women in Dabur has been growing at 10% over the past 3 years.