Women and the Workplace: Dependent Care
In the past, women had been expected to stay at home and take care of the children while the man of the house would go forth and earn money so that they can all live as happily and as comfortably as possible. Now, I’m no radical feminist – I simply try to see it as it was. Back then, households could afford to have a single salary earner supporting their family, and it is only practical that someone would stay behind in order to make sure that the house doesn’t fall apart. But, with the shift in the economy, it became increasingly clearer that the average household could no longer survive under the single income system and the women had to work as well.
Of course, before then, there were other reasons for women wanting to work – the feminist movement being one of them – but in my experience, most women in the work place work because they have people who depend on them, and they need money to support said people. Whether they are widowed or divorced (because divorce is becoming more and more common lately) with their young children left behind for her to take care of, or single but supporting a young sister or elderly, disabled parents, a good number of women I have worked with admit to wishing that if they had the chance, they would have wanted to just stay at home caring for the people they love instead of staying at work and worrying about their welfare.
That being said, one of the things that supposedly make women inefficient in the workplace is the common concern that her kids or the disabled persons in her care are not being looked after properly while she is at work. While it is fairly normal for her to feel this way, the insecure feelings often affect her performance. Even attendance is affected, as there would be occasional emergencies that would force her to absent herself from her job or even leave in the middle of her shift. Eventually, even though she may need the money, she would either be let go or resign from her job herself in favor of staying home and looking after her loved ones – some others even end up choosing to have jobs that allow them to work from home.
This shouldn’t be much of a problem for employers, as they can hire someone else to replace the employee that they have lost. But sometimes, having to let go of someone and finding a replacement for her can be troublesome. Furthermore, while it may be true that women can be inefficient at work because of their private concerns, they are also known to be diligent, dedicated hard workers who are quite dependable and a credit to their establishment. Evidently, this means that some measures must be put into place in order to ensure that employees who are otherwise excellent would not leave or lag behind because of concerns regarding their dependents.
So this is one possible reason why certain employers have decided that they would offer dependent care programs and packages in order to sweeten the deal with employees and possible employees. Dependent care credit, after all, is a reimbursement for any service – daycare, nanny services, and home-based medical care in particular – or items that an individual under their employ may spend on so that they could work full time, without worrying about looking after their dependents. By adding dependent care credit as a perk for their employees and potential employees, companies have a greater chance of retaining good employees who work at their full potential because they are secure at the thought that their dependents are being well taken care of.
Most of the women that I have worked with who have children or are taking care of a very sickly relative have once confided in me that what had allowed them to jump for their jobs and stay were the dependent care benefits and packages that were offered by their employers. According to them, the benefits that not only included reimbursements but also care service options made them feel as if they no longer have to worry too much about their dependents while they are at work. This would allow them to work better, have an improved chance at promotions, and earn more money to keep properly caring for their children or disabled relatives.
It has become imperative, especially now that the rate of divorce or separation has increased, that women left with young children to take care of are given due consideration in the workplace. It has been proven that women can be just as hard-working as the men – they just need someone to help them care for the young and sick ones.
Effective Leadership Skills – Leadership Development Training
Many people believe there are naturally born leaders. However, it is also quite possible to develop a person’s leadership potential. This has become one of the many reasons why many organizations these days invest in an effective leadership skills training plan. Through this kind of training, organizations are able to give potential leaders the chance to hone their skills, so they too can help in leading and directing other members of the organization that they take responsibility for.
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Effective leadership skills training program can be developed by an in-house human resources team. This can also be outsourced to professional and career development firms. Either way, the goal of this kind of training is to help enhance the skills of leaders, so they can become more effective in carrying out their roles and responsibilities.
Some training programs might require a significant amount of investment in terms of money, while there are those that only require minimal budget. What the case is, one thing is sure: this kind of training program will require a significant investment in terms of time and effort.
Many of us tend to think that trainings for leadership development, along with other types of trainings, are reasons to get away from the tediousness of our daily work. This should not be the case. It is important that you have the right mindset when you are about to undergo such a training. Remember that you will not be going on a vacation to relax or have fun; you will be undergoing a training to improve or develop your leadership skills.
There are different kinds of leadership development training programs and it is important that you are able to design an effective leadership skills training program that will meet the needs of the leaders and future leaders in your organization. There is no sense in conducting such training when it is meant to address concerns that do not have anything to do with leadership development.
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Women Owning the Workplace: Tips to Guide Female Entrepreneurs
Women are taking the business world by storm, and it doesn’t look like they’re backing down. According the Womenentrepreneur.com, women-owned firms are the fastest growing in the country. Women are looking beyond the traditional roles and moving ahead to a new role: entrepreneur. This does not necessarily mean women are swapping roles with their spouses (although some are), but they simply may be adding owning a business to their list of daily duties.
If you’re one of the many women considering going entrepreneur, it’s important to do your research first. Starting up a business is no easy task and many people get into trouble by diving in without any thought. Consider some of these tips to help you prepare yourself for the task ahead.
First, figure out what type of business you want to start. One of the biggest mistakes you can make is to start a business dealing with something of no interest to you. Before you pick, think about your talents and passions. These are two key factors in choosing what type of business to run.
Once you’ve decided on your type of business, you can start focusing on that line of work.
Next, find a place to host your business. Many women start their businesses out of their homes–but it’s important to be careful.
If you want to start your business at home, be sure to find a place in your house that is “strictly business.” This area should be removed from the rest of your home and preferably have a door to close out the noise of a busy home. Also, you should try to get a phone line specific to your business instead of using your home phone number or cell phone. This will create a more professional feeling for customers.
Two of the biggest hurdles women face when starting a business are poor financing and lack of experience. Remedy the first by waiting until you are financially stable before you quit your current job to start a business. Take into consideration all the costs associated with starting a business: rent, supplies, employee salaries, etc.
When it comes to experience, just starting your business increases your knowledge However, avoid some of the problems encountered by inexperienced business owners by using mentors and other contacts to gain advice. Try finding women in your area who started their own businesses and ask for tips.
Before opening your doors, think about the time needed to start and run a business. If you are a mother who wants to be able to take care of her kids, realize this may not always be possible with the time demands of a business. Going back to school also may hinder your ability to start and run a business effectively. Look at the factors in your life that take up most of your time and weigh out your options.
Besides thinking of time restraints, also realize the risk of starting your own business. Many women look at starting a business as an opportunity to be their own boss and keep more of the profit, but there are snags in this dream.
Many businesses take 3 or 4 years to start up, and during this time may barely break even. Be sure to have a back-up plan in case your business doesn’t catch on as quickly as you imagined. Also, being your own boss may seem glamorous, but this responsibility leaves only you to worry about financial situations and deal with employee issues.
Once you’ve considered the above factors, you’re ready to start your business. The first months or year may be a challenge, but the rewards of completely owning a company are priceless. Just be sure to keep it all in perspective; most women entrepreneurs don’t own Fortune 500 companies. Don’t be afraid to allow your business to stay small rather than stretching your limits to grow. Finally, get support by joining networks such as entrepreneur.com or we-inc.org (Women Entrepreneur, Inc.) to get helpful tips and network with other female entrepreneurs.