Working in pyjamas

A group of Communication Studies students at University, together with the Gender and Equality Unit at the Employment and Training Corporation (ETC), are conducting an advertising campaign, which kicked off on April 16, to promote family-friendly measures at the workplace. This article, the first in a series of five, will be followed by interviews with company managers who employ flexitime and telework as business solutions.

Family-friendly measures are business solutions that work in favour of both employers and employees. This is all about a work culture that needs to be challenged if society really wants to give the right value to the family.

Telework and flexitime are two of these solutions which would facilitate the handling of both work and family life of both male and female employees. Of course, family friendly measures fall under the larger umbrella of work-life balance.

Telework, better known as working from home, is a recent development in Maltese organisations, whereas flexitime, the ability to work flexible hours, is still a concept that needs a lot of development.

So far, not many companies have implemented such measures, but this campaign is set to target managers and employers in the hope that they may become more aware of the benefits of family-friendly measures and promote their implementation in various organisations.

Women need to find balance between work and family. So do men. Men need to spend more time with their family, while women would like to go out to work and use their potential, if only work was structured according to these needs! Both needs are not being met but it seems women pay the price to care for their children.

What Maltese women want

The ETC funded a telephone survey in 2003 on inactive women and their aspirations. The study was conducted by the NSO on 768 women aged between 15 and 64. Results showed that 44.8 per cent of women are willing to work, while 50.9 per cent are not.

Those not wanting to work were predominantly older than 53 and had lower educational achievements. Those wishing to work refused to do so under standard working conditions, the 40-hour week, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. job. Traditionally, household chores and caring for children are still a female responsibility, and for many, family is, understandably, their top priority.

Following these findings, the ETC has decided to develop a strategy to encourage employers to include more family-friendly measures which would in turn attract more women to the workforce. As part of this campaign, flexitime and telework are being promoted as business solutions.

Companies stand to benefit

There are companies in Malta that are already adopting telework and flexitime. Big international companies, such as KPMG and PricewaterhouseCoopers, have already successfully implemented telework options, and these are equally available to men and women working within the organisations.

Employers have seen the long-term benefits through this method of work. Firstly, they are building trustful work relationships with employees, who in the long run are satisfied, produce more and feel more stable.

Secondly, when women have children they are not forced to choose between work and family but can combine both successfully through flexitime or telework. This is permitting employers to retain qualified and experienced employees without spending money on the recruitment and training of new personnel. The benefits are truly endless.

Families also stand to benefit from family-friendly measures as these help maintain healthy family relationships. Men are able to enjoy their families and spend more time with their children if allowed to telework.

In this way more men and women are able to share the responsibilities of parenthood and the home, thus these measures are promoting social cohesion. Men and women are sending messages to their employers and to higher institutions. We cannot ignore these signs.

Steps for implementation

Employers need to commit themselves to make telework possible. They would first evaluate the long and short-term benefits. Normally the first step is to study the business, clientele, and market point of view and figure out whether it can work for their company.

The State must also take on its responsibility and possibly offer incentives and guidance to employers, to encourage the adoption of these measures on a wider scale. This is an important issue for the country therefore it must be given priority.

While some employers and employees have embraced these measures, having implemented successful solutions at the workplace, many may still perceive family-friendly measures as a burden and an extra cost to the organisation.

This depends on how one looks at it and it is hoped that through these articles, readers will see a win-win situation for both employers and employees.

This campaign has been split into two phases: Students taking Phase One of the advertising practicum have been working with the ETC since last October on research and interviews with employers and managers who employ family-friendly measures at the workplace; those students taking part in Phase Two are responsible for launching the campaign, writing articles and ensuring that it is publicised in the media.

Interviews will revolve around personal experiences of companies and subsequent benefits. The next article will feature an interview with Lisa Pullicino, senior manager at PricewaterhouseCoopers, followed by Hadrian Sammut, senior adviser at KPMG, a third interview with Katya Rossignaud, a teleworker with MTA, and Mariella Scerri, managing director and designer of Orienta.

Participants include (Phase One) Denise Buhagiar, Anna Catania, Maria Ellul, Stephanie Grech, Piao Hauli, Xiang Li, Samantha Mamo and Ker Qi, and (Phase Two) Samantha Mamo and Sue Zrinzo.