The golden question: Work or children?

Following the launch of its Flexible Working campaign, Citrix Systems SA looks at the juggling act that mothers and mothers-to-be experience with work and personal life.

What are some of the concerns facing women who are contemplating motherhood in today`s workplace? For most, it is the idea that they might be passed over for promotion because they want to become mothers.

It is therefore perceived that they will not be able to pay the necessary focus and commitment needed to fulfil their work role. For others, it is the idea that they could possibly get retrenched while on maternity leave due to a company`s decision to restructure. While some women may dream of being a housewife, the reality is that most families, in today`s world, rely on the double income to make ends meet.

Should a woman actually become a mother, the other concern is what happens if her child takes ill? Some organisations are flexible in terms of allowing the mother to take a day`s leave to look after her child but what happens if the child is sick for a week or more? Is there an allowance for the mother to work from home while looking after her child?

In the UK, the issue has been elevated to a point whereby legislation has been passed that entitles women with children under the age of six or physically disabled children under the age of 18, to request flexible working hours from their employers. These flexible working hours can take the form of either job-sharing or working from home, when necessary. Therefore, mothers who, in the past, were forced to leave their jobs in order to look after their children, now have the opportunity to stay in their jobs, while at the same time ensuring their children are cared for.

In SA, women constitute approximately 41% of the working population. However, flexible working policies have not been introduced in companies to accommodate the needs of these women.

Chris Norton, MD of Citrix Systems SA, believes the reason for this slow uptake in the adoption of flexible working policies is management`s lack of trust in its employees. Further to this is the "fishbowl management" style held by managers that says - if you are not physically in the office where you can be seen to be working, that you are out having a good time and skiving.

Norton`s advice to this "fishbowl management" style is that employees should be evaluated on a performance and results driven model rather than on a time-and-attendance model. Management also needs to trust that employees will do what they are paid to do. Unless employees feel they are trusted members of staff, companies run the risk of losing skilled and talented employees to parenthood and what would appear to be better job prospects.

If a company were to introduce a flexible working policy, it would find that there are numerous benefits to both the organisation and the employee.

* Improved employee relations, resulting in: - increased staff morale - better motivation - improved loyalty and commitment - increased productivity and the will to deliver
* Recruitment and retention: - attracting the best and most skilled staff - higher level of employee commitment - retention of valued employees
* Cost savings in terms of: - advertising of posts and recruitment costs - training and induction - reduced absence/unplanned absenteeism - office space - fewer disciplinary problems
* Enhanced reputation as a good employer therefore making the company more appealing to the best candidates who are seeking employment

Trek to the summit

00Days

:

00Hrs

:

00Min

:

00Sec

* Greater sense of responsibility, ownership and control of working life
* Better relations with management
* Increased loyalty and commitment
* Improved well-being and less stress
* Greater work-life balance
* Better able to cope with children and other care pressures, i.e. aged and frail parents or grandparents
* More opportunity to continue a career

When one takes into consideration all the benefits of a flexible working policy, it seems hard to believe that such policies have not yet been introduced to South African businesses.

So the question remains: "Is the acceptance of flexible working policies within an organisation a matter of shifting current perceptions or are the practical implications causing the barrier to its adoption?"