Rachael Straiton, head of IT Strategy & Governance APAC for Credit Suisse, radiates. Not only does she work for Credit Suisse, recently cited as one of the top 100 best companies for working women, but she is expecting her second child. How do you make a list of the best companies for working women? For the last 21 years, Working Mother's magazine has ranked companies based on the leave time for parents, child care, elder care, the number of women occupying top jobs and flexibility. According to the magazine, other mother-friendly companies include: Ernst & Young LLP; HSBC USA Inc; IBM Corp; JPMorgan Chase & Co; Patagonia Inc; and PriceWaterhouseCoopers LLP.
With more than 50% of the female population working and more than 40% of the couples in Singapore relying on dual incomes, what can Singapore and Singaporean companies do to make working parents in Singapore beam?
Since the publication of The three paradoxes: .jpg)
Working Women in Singapore, in 1999, there have been substantial changes for women in Singaporean society but the three paradoxes still exist. Women in Singapore still must struggle to be productive employees and retain their traditional role in the family. They still face conflicts between their work and family life, and they still face barriers as they try to move ahead in their careers.
According to Professor Chia, a professor at NUS and a working mother, the government has tried to make things easier for working mothers by increasing the maternity leave from two to three months but that is not quite enough. Companies need to make it easier for women to combine work and family. Facilities such as breast feeding rooms need to be implemented to allow women to continue to take care of their infants while at work.
Breast feeding rooms are just one way that Credit Suisse is helping mothers. In addition to special nursing rooms, employees are offered various options that promote the integration of work and home life. Flexible work arrangements such as telecommuting, reduced hours and personalised work schedules are made available through the use of technology tools and allow employees to work from anywhere.
Encouraging work-life balance
Trying to encourage a work-life balance for employees, OCBC implemented flexible work options, which allows employees to better manage their work and personal commitments. Jacinta Low, head, planning and employee communications, OCBC Bank states: "We have both fathers and mothers taking leave for their children. From the family bonding activities organised by the childcare centre, we noticed fathers playing an increasingly involved role in their children's lives."
As women are achieving higher levels of education, they are looking to work for self-fulfillment but are finding themselves torn between the pressures of work and family. According to Chia, "it's no longer true that Singaporean women aren't returning to the workforce. Large numbers of Singaporean women do return to the workforce because they no longer have a choice. They need the two incomes to maintain a certain lifestyle."
Although companies may make it easier to put in the hours at work, that does not change the struggle that women face when melding work with home life. "One of the challenges I faced was switching from work to home mode" says Straiton. "Going from complex thinking at work to playing with a toddler at home was difficult; almost work. It takes time to realise that what you put in, you get out, and the results aren't always immediate."
The new glass ceiling
Along with the struggle of merging a professional career with a family, Chia believes that a new barrier faces working women. Because Singaporean business is regional and most business is still done face-to-face, travel in Asia is becoming the new glass ceiling.
"Not all working mothers are willing to travel or have the logistical opportunity to leave Singapore. Those who travel have more exposure within their organisation. Women who decide not to travel put themselves on a slower career path," comments Chia. "Travel is a barrier for many working women. Men are willing to travel and women find themselves picking up the slack. Knowing that it's difficult for both partners to travel, they'll take a step back. By refusing to travel, they realise they're limiting their career opportunities."
Although travel may be a barrier for women, women executives do have the power to make changes to the way business is conducted. According to Straiton, "it's important that senior managers show junior managers what will be acceptable. In the case of late night meetings, the policy has been set that Friday night meetings aren't acceptable. It's important that the junior managers see senior managers enforcing this."
Low agrees that companies need to help encourage employees to focus on the family. "In order to build stronger family ties and promote family togetherness, the second last Friday of every month is designated as 'family bonding night' where our employees are encouraged to leave the office on time to be with their families."
Another challenge faced by working mothers is finding suitable childcare. Chia suggests that "the government professionalise infant care centres. Standards need to be set for childcare workers to ensure that there are adequate facilities for working mothers." Not only are good facilities needed but they should be located close to work.
Straiton agrees and says, "if the childcare centre is located where the parents work, they'd be able to spend several more hours with their child, during the commute to work and home."
Another challenge for mothers deciding to return to the workforce is locating a suitable position. According to Marlene Teo, from Adecco Personnel, "registering with a recruitment firm would put them up for 'circulation', highlight their availability - short term and long term, as well the type of working arrangements their commitments would allow for. Most clients are seeking full-timers, even for temporary positions, although there are the occasional ad hoc requests for part-time business support professionals."
Although part-time work may not be offered on a temporary basis, companies such as Credit Suisse and OCBC have realised the benefits of allowing parents to return on a part-time basis. At OCBC not only do they offer part-time positions, but they recently launched the GIFT (Give Incentive to Find Talent) program that gives incentive to existing colleagues for recommending new talents and encourages employees to recommend ex-employees to rejoin the bank.
Since the publication of The three paradoxes: Working Women in Singapore, the opportunities for women have expanded in a positive direction. In the last decade, women in Singapore have become more educated and focused on developing a career. Not only are dual income couples the norm but work-life balance is now a topic of discussion. Singapore companies have realised that the key to employee retention is a happy employee with a balanced work-life. It is hoped that work environments will continue to change in a positive direction. Providing employees with options means that they will be more willing to become the parents they want to be and stay with their employer, and that is always good for business.
Baby sitting and work
Who says you can't have fun at your local bank? On 25 July, 2008, OCBC Bank opened a children's playground at the Lush Garden located next to the OCBC Centre. The playground provides the 88 children attending the Little Skool-House At-OCBC-Centre, with an opportunity to get outside and enjoy the fresh air and work on developing their motor skills. Is the preschool a new training centre for banking executives? How did a bank end up with a daycare centre and a playground?
At Singapore's longest established bank, listening to employees is a priority. According to Jacinta Low, head, planning and employee communications, OCBC Bank, "listening to employees is in line with our philosophy to engage staff in all that we do, ensuring that they can look forward to programs that are relevant to their needs and evolving lifestyles."
Thinking about what employees need is essential in today's working environment. Low states, "the bank opened the centre to demonstrate their commitment to providing employees with an opportunity to grow and develop their careers and as well as lead a fulfilling family life."
Understanding what constitutes a fulfilling family life is essential in providing a good work-life balance. According to Low, "we understand that childcare responsibility is one of the key concerns of our working parents. The ability to find reliable childcare services has a positive impact on working mothers' decision to return to work after maternity leave. Implementing childcare services within our premises definitely benefits both our staff and OCBC. Not only can staff pop in to see their children during lunch times, parents who find themselves stranded without childcare in cases of emergencies can also tap on the emergency day-care service provided by the Little Skool-House At-OCBC-Centre. The thought that their children are in the capable hands of a professional care-giver located within the office means staff can concentrate on their work better. In the long run, this will lead to increased productivity for the bank as well."
With the ability to take their children to work and spending time with their children during lunch, OCBC employees are finding that banks can take care of more than just money.