Post maternity competencies for mothers returning to workforce: An organizational perspective

Abstract

In this fast-changing technology and cutthroat competition, it becomes imperative to have desired competencies to sustain in the professional world. India is among the ten countries with the lowest female labor participation in the workforce which is again a matter of grim concern when half of India’s population constitutes women. The existence of the traditional role of women as a homemaker and childcare provider has a critical impact on women’s careers. One such notable phenomenon for career breaks among women is motherhood. The re-entry to workforce post maternity is not a welcoming event and most women fail to re-enter the workforce due to the perceived diminished level of competencies. The paper will identify significant competencies required for women returning to job post-maternity. In this study, research papers on competency and experiences of mother’s returning to work were selected for review. These papers were reviewed rigorously and their findings were analyzed and conceptual competency framework model were developed. Also, content analysis of the company’s policies practices through online sources, help us get more industrial insight. The findings from these research papers can be empirically tested to get the concluding result for future studies.

Keywords

• career
• women
• motherhood
• competencies
• organization