Being a mother and a working professional should not be mutually exclusive. However, nearly one-third of Filipina women believe their choice to have a family has held them back in their careers. That’s according to the findings of the #SheMakesItWork survey, conducted by Monster.com in the Philippines, which highlights the difficulties faced by Filipina mothers returning to work after maternity leave.
With around 60% of respondents saying they plan to search for a new job in the next year, it’s crucial to understand why Filipinas feel this need for a change in order to retain the talent. Here are the top things Filipina mothers want to change in the workplace.
Equal opportunities for women
While more and more companies have enabled policies that allow all employees to thrive and develop based on their performance, some Filipino organizations still lag behind. When asked about the biggest challenges in the workplace, 34% of Filipinas felt the lack of opportunities for advancement and promotions is hindering their careers.
Companies need to understand that more career opportunities for women are not merely about gender, but about bringing the best ideas on the table. While one can’t change an entire organization overnight, showing extra initiative and being proactive in delivering more than what a project demands can help anyone to get some extra attention that may be needed to get a promotion.
More flexibility at work
When it comes to the upward mobility for women in Filipino companies, 32% of the surveyed respondents mentioned the lack of flexible work arrangements as one of the biggest obstacles on the career ladder. Being a working professional and mother, flexibility with scheduling can enable women to manage their time more efficiently without sacrificing on their performance or neglecting their families.
What’s more, flexible work schedules are key to retaining female talent, as a whopping 86% of women believe that the desire to have more family time is one of the main reasons why mothers quit their jobs in the Philippines. In fact, reports have shown that the adaptation of flexible working hours has increased productivity, created greater job satisfaction and lowered the employee turnover.
Abolish expected over time
With 57% of respondents stating work-life balance as the most important factor when finding a new job, a company culture that encourages overtime is not helping attract or retain talent.
When asked whether they felt an obligation to work overtime, only about one-third of women said they did not.
According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, over eight million Filipinos are overworked. As too much overtime work never leads to greater employee satisfaction, companies in the Philippines need to ensure regular working hours for the sake of all employees. According to Monster.com’s #SheMakesItWork campaign, these are the adjustments companies need to consider making in order to retain female talent.
