Women missing in action

Women in the workforce are an impressive statistic now. The time, when they were restricted as house wives and mothers, is a thing of the past with more and more working women who believe in economic independence and equality with their spouses.

However, the glitch sets in, when motherhood beckons, in due course of time. Cases of talented women taking a backseat in their promising careers are often inevitable. Though the journey to being a parent is a joyous one, for these ladies, what hurts is the absence of a stable salary and the monetary dependence on a spouse or parents. The seclusion from workspace, including office buddies and the world outside in general, also leaves an isolating impact on these career women.

Take for instance the case of 32-year-old Shriya Iyer. A brilliant student, through her days in college, Shriya nurtured big dreams of establishing herself as a successful professional. After completing her education, she then went on to pursuer a high-flying job in a leading pharmaceutical company. A year later, she got married, but continued to work. The snag in her upcoming career came, when she had to quit her job due to motherhood.

“After delivery, my daughter became my priority. Though I loved spending time with her, I was missing my work too,” she rues. Though her company put forward all the benefits of a maternity break, Shriya did not go back to work. “I decided to take a break, to take care of my kid. At one point, I was happy just seeing her growing up,” Shriya offers.

But the pressures of being dependent on her husband soon started to bother her. “Though my spouse was supportive, it was difficult for an independent soul like me to be reliant on someone else, even for basic needs,” she confesses, adding that the situation did lead to mental pressures and a strong urge to get back to working again.

Besides the problem of dependency, hurdles like being up-to-date, post a maternity break is another bothersome aspect, says Preethi Sagar, who decided to go back to her job, after her son turned three. “When I got back to work after three years, it was difficult to cope with the work culture. With the world moving in a fast space, three years is a huge time. I couldn’t match up with my co-employees and this definitely stressed me,” she adds.
However, the going is not so tough for self-employed working women, suggest industry experts. Stylist Gouri Kapur, who took only a 13-day break, got back to work in full swing, post her delivery. “When one is self-employed, such problems don’t impact too strongly, since there exists the liberty to work at a comfortable pace. It is possible to slip into the roles of a mother and a working woman in self-employed jobs,” explains Gouri. The presence of a support system in the form of a joint family also helped, she adds.

“There were times when my work was very hectic, but since I had family to fall back on, the need to hire a nanny didn’t arise,” she adds.

Entrepreneur and working mother Veena Nanda however points out that in self ventures one does need to dedicate a good amount of time too. “The only way out is strong time management,” she emphasises, adding that it’s that segment where most women falter.

*Some names have been changed on request