Various incentives to encourage female employment may be bearing fruit, but much more needs to be done on a number of fronts, according to Sandra Sladden, the chairperson of the Employment and Training Corporation (ETC).
They may be scared of having to replace a mother when she applies for maternity leave
Dr Sladden, a lawyer by profession, pinpoints a lack of family-friendly measures at the workplace as one of the main obstacles hindering women’s participation in the workforce.
“Many employers are not sure how to go about granting family-friendly working conditions; they may be scared of having to replace a mother when she applies for maternity leave, or fear additional costs involved in offering such measures,” she says.
“Employers have to be willing to offer reduced hours for women who want to dedicate more time to their family, especially when they have young children; flexible hours to accommodate parents, who, for example, transport their children to and from school; job sharing and teleworking.”
Dr Sladden is certain all employers would benefit if they embraced such measures.
“I know of employers who have managed to find the right balance because employees, especially female employees, tend to cooperate with each other,” she says.
Dr Sladden stresses that the Government and employers also have to make work pay for women.
“We have to assist and offer incentives to employers who provide family-friendly measures. We need to guide employers more on best practices and how they will gain by retaining talent and accessing more resources.
“Unfortunately, in particularly low-paid jobs, the mathematics shows that work may not pay and women prefer to opt for social assistance.”
The latest Labour Force Survey, covering the third quarter of 2012, registered an increase of 1.6 per cent in female employment over the same period in 2011.
Dr Sladden attributes this to a variety of factors including the growing number
of women who complete the tertiary level of education, various initiatives and
ETC schemes.
Activity rates are especially high among the younger generation.
“The major hurdle is to attract older women to employment,” Dr Sladden claims.
ETC continuously runs schemes and campaigns to encourage more women to return to work, such as the Employment Aid Programme (EAP) – which had inactive women as one of the categories eligible – and the Nista’ campaign that had wide coverage with various messages that challenged traditional stereotypes.
Although open to both men and women, ETC’s training programmes, Work Trial Scheme and Enhancing Employability Through Training, are also aimed at making it easier for women to re-enter the labour market. The childcare subsidy scheme
was targeted at enticing more women to attend training.
From January 1 until today, the ETC had 175 female trainees, out of a total of 542, following its courses; that is 32 per cent of the organisation’s total trainees’ cohort.
Dr Sladden says she was especially impressed by the level of discussion generated by the Nista’ campaign.
She met many women who tried to convince their husbands/partners about the benefits of joining the workforce. But she admits she also received quite a number of complaints from men who did not particularly take to having a woman challenge the traditional roles in the family unit.
The deeply ingrained tradition that women should leave the workplace to bring up their children still persists to a certain degree in society. But, according to
Dr Sladden, the mentality and culture is changing.
“This comes as no surprise when one considers that more than half the students undertaking tertiary education are women.
“It is satisfying to note that, while in the past, women were expected to leave their job and dedicate their life entirely to the family and home, now it is our choice.”
Besides, women are taking up traditionally male jobs, such as medicine, law, architecture and engineering. They are becoming technicians in the aviation sector, taking up posts in the gaming and financial sectors, as well as occupying top civil service positions.
I received quite a number of complaints from men who did not particularly take to having a woman challenge the traditional roles in the family unit
“Women in these professions and posts are actually among the best. But I would like to see more women in leading posts where policies are made.
“Female input will ensure more holistic policies because we tend to see and touch
certain realities that men might oversee.”
With a full-blown career, finding the right balance between work and family is very tricky.
“Everyone professes the need to achieve a work-life balance nowadays, but it is surely no easy task,” says Dr Sladden, who, as a mother of three, knows very well the problems encountered by working mothers.
“I face the difficulties of juggling family and career on a daily basis.
“It takes a lot of hard work and determination for a woman to fulfil her work responsibilities without neglecting her family.”
She emphasises that a working parent needs support, be it from the other parent, government, employer or family members.
The results could be very rewarding, not only personally or for the country’s economy, but also for society.
“A working mother is in touch with the labour market and acquires many skills that she can pass on to her children.
“I am a firm believer that when children witness both parents in gainful employment, they will embrace more the value of work as work gives the person dignity.”
As a strong supporter of gender equality, Dr Sladden says she would like to witness the day when society no longer feels the need to celebrate International Women’s Day.
“When I was a University student, I was involved in a women’s organisation and we used to discuss concepts like ‘breaking the glass ceiling’ – already then I used to question why society celebrates Women’s Day.
“Although I observe that as the years go by, the importance of this day has diminished, I will not rest my case before it is completely abolished.”