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Solving the problem of women in business can require some alternate thinking.
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New mothers pose a particular challenge as they are pulled between their work and family responsibilities
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There are a number of alternatives to the standard work week that will be attractive to a new mother
There is lots of talk about getting more women involved in technology. Despite multiple efforts to correct this situation, technology is still a male dominated industry.
I am not an expert on all the methods of getting women in technology but I do know there are a couple of changes that could be made to accommodate a female employee. I am going to be very political but life with it!
A critical element in attracting women into the work is to have work flexibility. Women with children present a challenge but they can be some of the best employees. Who is better to juggle multiple things at once than a mother. These women will be loyal employees if they can get flexibility.
This flexibility can take several forms:
- Time shifting
- Part-time
- Remote work
- Job sharing
- Compressed workweek
- Different responsibilities
Time Shifting
Assuming the work is not time sensitive for that employee, the 8-5 workday may not work for their schedule. They may need a 10-6 or a 6-3 workday. Moving the workday time could be a deal maker for these people.
Companies are concerned about time shifting because it won’t be in sync with the other employees. Meetings are frequently suggested as an obstacle to time shifting. So…the question becomes: are there meetings 8 hours a day? If so, when does the work get done if your team is in meetings all day?
Also, if you are a national company, you may have team members across the nation. They are already time shifting. Employees in the eastern time zone will start work at 5:00 am Pacific time and finish at 1:00 pm Pacific. I have worked with several companies where employees are spread out across several time zones (including international) and it can be worked out.
Some companies do a core time where all employees are at work (e.g., 10-2) and meetings can occur.
Part-Time
In the past, part-time work was for the benefit of the employer. Now, employees are asking for a part-time option based on lifestyle. Businesses have not been open to part time based on the need of the employee. Providing part-time opportunities could bring great skills into a business can have great benefits.
Remote Work
As I have discussed in other posts, enabling the employee to work remotely from their home brings a large number of potential new employees with tremendous skills. For a new mother, they can take care of their children and still get work done by not having to leave their home. Everybody wins!
Job Sharing
This is similar to part-time. There may be 2 employees who don’t want to work full-time but the position needs to be handled 40 hours a week. Two team members with similar skills can take the same job and each contributes 20 hours a week to it. There are problems with coordination but they can be overcome with good communication with these two people.
Compressed Workweek
If the need is to work for 40 hours a week, it can be done in four 10 hour days. To be really forward thinking, offering a work opportunity of three 12-hour days might be an opportunity to get great help. These shifted work times can bring a lot of problems, but attracting highly skilled employees with these compressed work weeks can be a great bonus to the company. For a new mother, they could work out their time with their spouse and solve home issues. For example, the three 12-hour days could be done Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. The week is covered and only being gone Tuesday and Thursday lessen the impact.
Different Responsibilities
For a new mother, the current position they hold may not work with these alternate methods of working. Then, look at putting them in another position that would be more amenable to time changes. This is a tough achievement as opening must be available for other work and that matches the employees’ skills.
Work Out The Problem
I don’t want to leave the impression that this will be easy to solve. Any of these changes have impacts on the current staff. Jealousy over changed hours can be a significant problem. Others may accuse management of playing favorites. The manager may have a hard time adapting to a shifted schedule. However, with perservence and commitment, these problems can be solved.