Being a woman with children and a home to look after was considered a career-dampener not so long ago, but housewives are now being increasingly wooed by big guns such as Standard Chartered Bank and Infosys in an array of sectors like software, retail, banking and BPOs.
Housewives are now in great demand in the job market as companies are realising that this particular class of employees is more stable in nature and could be a major weapon against the high level of attrition plaguing the industry.
To tackle the aversion to long working hours, companies have come out with "flexi-timing" for women who have children, giving them an option to work only four hours a day.
"We plan to hire women in 4-6 hour shifts in major metros, as there is a need to break away from the traditional processes amid the current talent crunch," Standard Chartered Bank's HR Head Madhavi Lall told PTI.
The firms are targeting especially those who quit their jobs after going the family way.
"Over 50 per cent women in India have to give up their jobs due to 'child break'. However, flexi-timed jobs will make this career gap diminish as it did in the US and Europe," hiring firm TeamLease Services chairman Manish Sabharwal said.
{{/usCountry}}"Over 50 per cent women in India have to give up their jobs due to 'child break'. However, flexi-timed jobs will make this career gap diminish as it did in the US and Europe," hiring firm TeamLease Services chairman Manish Sabharwal said.
{{/usCountry}}Teamlease is hiring women for 4-6 hour shifts for retail chains like Shopper's Stop and Fab India as well as some BPOs and financial services firms, Sabharwal said.
StanChart also allows flexi-hours for existing employees after their maternity leave, Lall said.