This is what Vodafone India did to cheer its women employees

The choice between motherhood and work is often a difficult decision for women across the globe. However, Vodafone India women employees needn’t worry about it. The company has come up with a new maternity policy that offers 16 weeks of paid maternity leave, one working week of paternity leave, and 6 hours per day for 6 months post return from maternity for child care.

“The extended maternity leave and only 30 hour work week for 6 months will help returning mothers transition comfortably into the workplace as well as attend to her child's nursing needs. To benefit the new fathers, the telecom service provider has introduced paternity leave, which will enable them to bond with the baby and be around with the family during this precious family time,” reveals an ET report.
Vodafone has taken this decision to maintain gender diversity at the workplace and retain women employees.

"Women account for 35% of our employees worldwide but only 21% of our international senior leadership team. We believe our new maternity policy will play an important role in helping to bridge that gap. Supporting working mothers at all levels of our organisation will ultimately result in better decisions, a better culture and a deeper understanding of our customers' needs," he further adds.

This new policy amendment brings cheer to over 1,000 Vodafone women employees across the globe and will also help Vodafone save approximately $19 billion annually. As mentioned in the ET report, “…KPMG estimated that recruiting and training new employees to replace women who do not stay in the workforce after having a baby costs global businesses $47 billion every year, offering women 16-weeks of fully paid maternity leave rather than the statutory minimum would cost businesses an additional $28 billion a year; and if businesses were able to retain more women in the workforce after their maternity leave, they could save up to $19 billion a year and would retain the knowledge and experience of these women with positive consequences for productivity and effectiveness.”

(Image: Reuters)