Gender Inclusivity

I was just going through one of the articles in The Hindu Businessline that talks about gender empowerment in the IT industry- specifically about my earlier company. This company plans to open a satellite center to enable employees, specifically new and to-be mothers to cut down on travel time to work. Also, it has initiated a pilot project for employees giving them an opportunity to opt for a one-year sabbatical at any point in their careers ie. for childcare, eldercare, higher studies or for health reasons. The first initiative is praise worthy though it is about time all companies start implementing such policies and the second initiative is nothing new and was offered earlier too but to utilize it,one should have worked with the company for a minimum of two years and I do not think they are going to change that clause in any way. Don’t ask me how it became a pilot project all of a sudden.

Coming to the main story, if you happen to check out the World Economic Forum index,India ranks an overall 100th rank amongst 117 countries, way below Sri Lanka, China and Kenya in gender gap rankings that is gauged in terms of four parameters-Economic participation and oppurtunity,educational attainment,political empowerment and health and survival. Check this link for WEF ratings. We rank a 20 in political empowerment but a dissapointing 110 in economic participation.Why is this?

Traditionally, in Indian households, with family lineage, living arrangements and inheritance all centered around men, household decision-making too is gladly shouldered by them and women are happy to go with their husband’s decisions on the most important issues such as credit, the disposal of household assets, children's education, and family health. That makes a happy family!
One would think better decisions can be made if there are two minds at work than one.

I have heard many a friend say to me that they prefer a woman who is not career-oriented. Why? Cos’ “The opportunity cost of working” reduces the value of marriage in a woman!!hmmph!

Not to mention the innumerable changes a woman goes through in her life which makes it harder for her to work full-time. Marriage, child birth or relocation needs a woman to forgo a lot more than a man. Corporate houses in India are yet to recognize such issues and utilize women’s capabilities in the best possible manner which can be working out of home or part time working or flexible working hours.

And when is gender stereotyping ever going to stop? At work place, it is always a greater struggle for a woman to prove her strengths because even as she begins a project she has to work twice as hard as a man to prove that she has the same capabilities and without the benefit of networking and most often suffering from lack of support of a good work-life balance.

I have personally felt this when I was previously working. All project meetings used to be regularly sheduled after 6 pm. Any office party where one could socialize with colleagues-ditto or better still it was over the weekends. It works fine for the bachelors...but...

Are spouses allowed?- Oh no! sorry! we have a shoe string budget for this. And both the managers I had during the time I worked with this company used to insist that I stay back after 7 or 8 pm and work ( one guy used to rush after me if I stepped out at 7 and have a look of surprise on his face and say" oh Deepa! are you already done for the day- Jerk!) and all this even though I started my work at 8:30 am in the morning.
Sir, my work timings are from 8:30 to 5:30. It was for my own satisfation that I even stayed back this late and I HAVE A FAMILY TO TAKE CARE TOO. Oh! is that so, we will take care of you in your appraisal and see that you get nowhere. We have all come to believe that if you are going to be career oriented then please forget any personal life.

Coming back to the core issue...creating family friendly systems like flexible working hours, women friendly policies, options to work out of home and a different scale for measuring productivity of women- all this would be a good beginning. Infact,men too need to be given options such as flexi-timing and working out of home. If your spouse gets an onsite opportunity then the partner should be able to work from long distance without giving up his/her job. The truth is that the new generation of men do shoulder family burdens and household chores. They participate in a lot of household activities that were earlier considered an woman's domain. They too sacrifice their careers and are willing to make tough choices for the sake of the family. But deep down it requires a complete mental makeover, a higher degree of acceptance and a good deal of policy changes in the corporate world to bring more women to the workplace and empower them.