|
 |
 |
| Back to Robin's Remarks Main Page |
| Bust Those Barriers to Re-Entering the Workforce! |
|
| 12/2/2007 |
| |
ROBIN'S PERSPECTIVE: While more than a third of highly qualified women exit the workplace due to family responsibilities, more than 90% want to return to work eventually. However, taking time off for the “mommy track” can be expensive, both in the short run and over the long term of your career: on average, women lose almost 20% of their earning power when they take time off. The loss increases to about 37% if the woman exits the workplace for more than 3 years.
Some of the barriers women face include:
• The perception that their skills and/or training are out-of-date;
• The perception that their family responsibilities will still overshadow their commitment to the job; and
• The perception that the company will invest substantial sums in training the new hire only to have her leave within a short time.
Some ways to ease the transition include:
• Keep up to date with changes and trends in your industry ;
• Sharpen your skills by attending evening or weekend classes or taking courses online;
• Attend professional meetings and keep up with journals and advisories;
• Network with old colleagues or expand your contact group through school organizations, volunteer groups (kid-friendly, of course;
• Hold leadership positions in youth, school, community or charitable organiziations to demonstrate you are still keeping those business skills sharp; and
• If possible, try working from home or securing a flex-time schedule that would permit you to report in only when someone else is at home to watch the kids.
If you are considering whether to stay-at-home or go back to work after the birth of a child, you should first weigh the pros and cons to insure you are making the best decision for both you and your family. More often than not, it is best to return to work if you are the main breadwinner with the best health benefits –the guarantee of a steady income and consistent health coverage is a value your family cannot live without. You should also consider whether you can work at home or take flex-time, part-time, or an extended leave, without doing too much damage to your career. Finally, you have to realize that no matter what your decision, adjustments will need to be made at many levels before you can achieve anything resembling work-life balance. Motherhood has a dramatic effect on altering one’s priorities – in a good way!
|
| |
|
|
 |
|
|
 |
