Power of women work force

With more and more women joining the work force, for those who have just started a family, with toddlers in tow, for many, it meant a break from career. Sometimes, the break could be forever or sometimes, after 4-5 years by which time, most companies consider them to be out-of-place. Statistics show that 1.5 million women professionals have left work in the last 20 years, to care for kids or, in some cases, an elder in the family and majority of them have not retruned.

Well, some companies are recognizing the contribution of this work force and to ensure that they are truly taken care of, many have crèches to look after the children while they work. They have a professionally-managed daycare and looks like it is a hit.  Standard Chartered Bank, offers a  daycare facility, an on-site crèche, at four of its offices. Ernst & Young too has an on-site day care facility where women can go and see their baby whenever they desire, without having to give up work. IBM has 12 daycare centres across India, run by empanelled vendors, and they accept kids from 6 months to 8 years.

HUL is probably the best when it comes to women employees because apart from day care, it offers flexi-timings and a six month maternity leave, job sharing and 'career by choice' , with the latter aimed at bringing back talented women who quit the workforce. If only most other companies also followed suit, we could then see a more balanced work force with the women not really needing to quit a good career.