While organisations are thinking of truly unconventional ways to involve women more and more at the workplace, there are some benefits that every woman should look out for before joining a new organisation.
With more and more women joining the workforce than ever before, organisations are going into a tizzy to create a conducive environment for their female employees. Introducing facilities like in-house crèches, financial support during hospitalisation and post-delivery counselling are some of the measures that organisations are putting in place to counter a drop in their female employee count.
While your organisation may be a trailblazer when it comes to taking care of its female employees, there are 7 benefits that you, as a woman, should look out for before signing on the dotted line:
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Flexible working hours
In addition to their careers, most women also have the added responsibility of taking care of their family. This is especially applicable to single mothers who have to bring up their family single-handedly.
This is why the importance of flexible working hours for women cannot be stressed on enough. Not only will it make their lives easier, it will certainly make them more productive.
These policies are being introduced as companies are realising that not introducing flexible working hours would mean shutting out qualified candidates who won’t settle for working for a company that has an antiquated working-hour policy.
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Travel allowance and transport
Your company should bear your transport expenses if you’re travelling to work. If you’re relocating to another city for a business requirement, your company should compensate you for the relocation and conveyance at least for the first two weeks of settling in.
Some companies set the bar higher by covering daily travel expenses. This can be really useful for those who spend a significant amount of their time commuting for work. With assignments demanding longer working hours, for those late nights at work, your company should arrange for safe means of transport.
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Maternity leave and benefits
The recently amended Maternity Benefit Act of 1961 mandates that any organisation employing more than 10 employees has to provide 26 weeks of paid leave to its women employees. It’s still advisable, however, that you read the terms and policies of the company you’re joining beforehand.
Many organisations offer additional benefits like medical bonus, free meals during pregnancy or additional leave in the event of complications. The smallest of these details can be really useful for expectant mothers.
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Higher education of employees
Organisations around the world are increasingly realising the importance of continued learning. Many employers today encourage employees to learn new skills. They include as part of the employee’s benefits package, full payment of tuition expenses for higher courses. The employee can thus, study and further contribute to the growth and development of the organisation.
For returning employees post their maternity breaks, companies have learning programmes tailor-made for their roles. This helps them catch up with their counterparts.
This is one of the most basic benefits that an organisation can provide for its employees. With ailments and medical emergencies being common for women, a good Health Insurance plan is a must.
A good Health Insurance plan that takes care of post-childbirth care and complications during pregnancy is essential for women who intend to start a family in the future. So before joining, check for health benefits and insurance provided by your company and what percentage of it comes under co-payment.
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Work from home
To retain and attract the female workforce, companies are introducing policies to accommodate their changing needs. Working from home has become the norm as companies recognise the difficulty in juggling between a job and family for women.
Most companies have a fixed number of days in a month during which women can work from home. Look out for these provisions in the company terms and policies, before you sign the appointment letter.
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Other benefits
Many organisations have separate restrooms for female employees which they can use when feeling sick at work. Employee health check-ups and day-care facilities for mothers are some of the other facilities that companies are offering to bring in more gender diversity at the workplace.
Additional Reading: Women: Here’s How To Maintain Work-Life Balance
With these benefits in place, working in an organisation can become doubly rewarding. And speaking of rewards, why not give our Credit Card and Personal Loan offers a shot?