Mommy Track

1. Gender in IT Sector:
A Study of ‘Mommy Track’
Nimisha.M.N
Ph.D Research Scholar
Department of Public Administration & Policy Studies
Central University of Kerala

2. Mommy Track is
An interrupted or delayed
career path followed by women
as the result of bringing up a
family.

3.  Women who want a career and children
may have to accept that it will have some
impact on their careers.
 Mommy Track implies that a woman’s
commitment to her children limits her
commitment to the company.
 Many women are delaying marriage and
children to establish themselves in their
chosen field.

4. Barriers can be
Societal barriers
Internal business barriers
 Lack of quality affordable child care
 Inflexible work schedules
 Time management problems
Governmental barriers

5. Reasons for Mommy Tracking
 Male Dominated management, which make all
decisions of the company.
 Lack of proper anti discrimination law and
government action on discrimination.
 Men’s negative attitude towards problems
faced by women.
 Preference of men over women of same
educational qualification and calibre.

6. Work life balance
1.An employer that gives work/life
balance a high priority.
2.The need to push for policies and
practices that are favourable to employees
with children.

7. HYPOTHESES
 If cooperation among the colleagues at
work place is increased then the job
performance of managerial women will be
increased.
 If gender stereotyping is reduced at work
place then the job performance of
managerial women will be increased.

8. RESEARCH DESIGN
 Study was conducted among 100 women
techies.
 Quantitative methods were used to establish
the profile of women techies and quantifies
their experience of career barriers.
 Interview data explored how women techies
perceived Mommy Tracking.

9. DATAANALYSIS
 The co-relation between Gender Stereotype
and Under Representation of women in top
level is .8342.
 The co-relation between Good old boy
Networking in the organization and
increase in number of women in top level
management is -0.232.

10. Challenges and
Opportunities
Organizations should recognize the demands
placed on working people and need to
address problems like
 Quality child care
 Flexible work hours

11. Challenge of Child Care
• Mothers often face overtime and
unpredictable hours.
• Many day-care facilities close at 6 P.M.
and on weekends.
• Workers who cannot balance the
demands of work and available child
care are often disciplined or fired.

12. Companies can offer
On-site day-care centres
Vouchers to help subsidize the parents’
costs for outside day-care
Deductions of child-care costs from pre-tax
earnings
Flexible work hours ranks high on the list
of desired benefits
Flexible Work Schedules
Meet over breakfast

13. Flexible work schedules
Involves
• Flexitime
• A compressed workweek typically consists
of four 10-hour shifts
• Job sharing
• Telecommuting

14. FINDINGS
 It is heartening to note that the unpaid labour at home and
paid labour at work serve the patriarchal capitalism.
 The dilemma of patriarchy and social conditioning has
made women to think that they may have to sacrifice their
career at some point in time which was evident in their
career goals.
 IT sector is not taking any special measures to recruit
women even though every companies CSR focuses on
society development and welfare of women.
 Effective management training and failure to hold
managers accountable for developing and advancing
female employees.

15.  Inflexibility in defining work schedules is
a reason.
 Networking is a key for corporate
survival and lack of access to informal
networks of communication hinders
women from reaching top level
management.
 Woman’s care role especially as mother is
considered as a detrimental to leadership
traits.

16. RECOMMENDATIONS
 IT firms can incorporate mentoring programs for women
like Sensitization programs, Corporate Mentoring Programs
and specific career skills Programs on Professional
Networking, Time Management and developing business
strategies.
 Companies should provide facilities like crèches to enable
women to give their best in their profession.
 Companies should be more sensitive to women situations
and need as women generally have to look after family and
work. Management must learn to recognize and appreciate
gender differences as positive qualities which can serve as
an asset for the organization.
 Organization can help women by giving integrated package
of measures for supporting women at work and by framing
family-friendly policies.
 Reverse mentoring of board.
 Gender Audit.

17. CONCLUSION
 The study suggests that there is a need for systemic changes to
ensure greater diversity in their management and encouraging
competent women to overcome the hurdles that society places in
their career path.
 The study concludes that the major barrier for promotion of
women managers comes from insensitivity of the corporates
towards women’s social roles and responsibilities.

18. REFERENCES
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