Karen Birch talks to John Hill on March 9, 2010 10:56 AM
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Tagged with:
* Citigroup,
* EU,
* Little Unicorn Nursery,
* London Chamber of Commerce,
* maternity,
* The3rdi
When a woman becomes a mother, does the glass ceiling turn into a concrete roof?
Maternity in the workplace has become even more of a conversation piece following the emergence of draft European legislation increasing paid leave.
The proposal, which will reach the EU parliament this month, calls for 20 weeks leave on full pay, compared to the current allowance of 14. UK mothers get a year off, with six weeks on 90 per cent pay, 33 on statutory maternity pay and the rest unpaid.
UK employment relations minister Lord Young has already expressed concerns that the increase could affect the “delicate balance” between workers and recession-hit businesses, while London Chamber of Commerce policy director Dr Helen Hill said businesses need “certainty and simplicity, not the threat of additional regulatory burdens and higher costs”.
Some Wharf businesses already have specific programmes tailored to accommodating motherhood. Citigroup is proud of its “holistic approach” to maternity. It said that 97 per cent of mothers return to their jobs thanks to a mixture of workshops and mentoring.
Citigroup’s head of diversity for Europe, Middle East and Africa Carolanne Minashi said: “We recognise that while maternity doesn’t happen to all women, it does only happen to women. We know how challenging it is to juggle two key responsibilities – motherhood and a career.
“To help women do that in a way they find satisfactory, we added workshops for new mothers and mothers to be.”
The bank started workshops for managers of pregnant women in 2006. In late-2007, it initiated workshops for women before, during and after maternity and recently introduced Keep In Touch days for those in the latter half of their leave period. It also started quarterly workshops for new fathers in June 2007.
Ms Minashi said: “We have invested in this work despite the challenging economic environment and believe it’s a fundamental lever in building business success.”
However, Karen Birch, of online women-in-business magazine The 3rdi, said many mothers prefer to leave traditional business environments.
The former pharmaceutical company board member co-founded the magazine to relate stories of female successes in the “male-oriented business world”.
She said: “Most of the women we’ve talked to who’ve achieved a successful work-life balance have done so outside of traditional businesses. It still appears quite difficult to reach the very top in those environments and have a family.
“That’s why a lot of women choose to start their own business so they can create their own environment.
“There are reports indicating that a higher proportion of new business start-ups are now headed by women, as they want a little more control.”
