By Vivek Ranjan, Chief Human Resource Officer at Zensar Technologies
Up to 54,000 UK women leave their jobs every year because of pregnancy or maternity leaves. Employers need to be more proactive to help women return to work after maternity leave. This will foster gender diversity at the workplace. This is particularly important, as 85% mothers leave the workplace within three years after giving birth. Lack of support is one of the main reasons for this.
What should employers do?
Businesses need to take two approaches to support mothers who return to work: they must offer flexibility and emotional support.
Hybrid Work Models
Many new mothers face a variety of pressures. From balancing childcare to managing pick-ups and drop-offs as well as sickness. Hybrid work is a lifeline for mothers, particularly in the post-pandemic era. It allows them to transition smoothly back into the workforce.
We at Zensar are big advocates of hybrid work. We make sure that our employees have not only the flexibility but also the right tools to be successful in a hybrid setting. Managers must be able to effectively lead in a hybrid environment if hybrid work models are to flourish.
Zensar ensures this by offering both the required technology and comprehensive training. We place a high priority on employee development, so we invest heavily into training programs. Each employee receives an average of over 58 hours of training annually.
Create an Inclusive and Supportive Working Environment
Employers must create a supportive and inclusive environment for new mothers to return to the workplace. Understanding the needs of employees is crucial to enhancing job satisfaction and well-being.
We have implemented at Zensar the RPG Happiness Framework. This is a comprehensive initiative which goes beyond traditional employee surveys. This framework focuses six key areas: feeling valued, being connected, growing, loving culture, and living a balanced and purposeful life.
This reflects the trend of companies moving to more holistic wellness programs that focus on all aspects of employee wellbeing.
Based on employee feedback, our framework identifies areas that need improvement. This gives us a roadmap for improving workplace satisfaction. We create taskforces that are specialized to develop action plans for areas like communication, recognition and professional development.
Bottom Line: Supporting mothers in their careers
Businesses need to do more for new mothers who return to work. Many women leave the workplace due to lack of support. Companies can help mothers return to work and thrive by adopting flexible policies, listening to their employees’ concerns about well-being and implementing better practices.
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