Does the Work from Home policy equally apply to the genders at the workforce?

1. Applying a
Gender Lens
to Work
from Home
(WFH)
Is WFH a gender neutral actvity,
especially for women ?
Pallavi Mahajan
Gender Rights Lawyer & Diversity and Inclusion Consultant

2. In 'normal' scenarios WFH has well known benefits - saving on commuting expenses,
freeing up office space, improving employee satisfaction, however, the present
COVID 19 induced WFH is different and so are it predicaments and implications.
WFH - A NEW DIFFERENT NORMAL ?
WFH during COVID 19 times is a compulsion and not a privileged choice
There is no physical separation between workplace and household
Merging of emotional and psychological spaces is causing claustrophobia
Diminished physical spaces between families is causing distress
There is constant juggling between workplace and household responsibilities
Loss of identity and feeling of accomplishment
Increase in distractions is hampering productivity
Sense of grief and despair is overpowering
Unavailability of support system
Pallavi Mahajan
Gender Rights Lawyer & Diversity and Inclusion Consultant

3. HOW DOES COMPULSARY WFH AFFECT WOMEN DIFFERENTLY ?
There are counteracting views on WFH on (a) promoting flexible work opportunities for
the women workforce and the subsequent gender equality in the socio-cultural fabric;
and (b) religating women to the care giving duties and unpaid home labour .
WFH flexibility will enable more women to join workforce
Fraction of families can observe reversal of caregiving model
Experts believe women are more susceptible 'role blurring'*
For every 31 minutes of men's care giving labour, women spend 297 minutes
Majority women being primary care givers will succumb to saturation/exhaustion
WFH will box women in traditional sectors and traditional roles
Lack of collaborative and 'human interactive' environment will disable women
WFH promotes women to still carry the emotional labour of the household
PROS
CONS
*Role burning is the experience of difficulty in distinguishing one’s work from one’s family roles in a given setting
Pallavi Mahajan
Gender Rights Lawyer& Diversity and Inclusion Consultant

4. RISK INVOLVED IN WFH MODEL FOR WOMEN WORKFORCE
Considering the socio-cultural fabric of India and the world at large, which is tilted
towards one gender, the WFH model can result in predicaments and risks for the
women workforce.
Stuck at home with the abuser causing domestic violence to come to work
Lack of work-home space demarcation will disable women's career growth
As primary care givers their productivity is susceptible to fall
Lack of human interaction will cause downfall in motivation levels
Abstaining from the observing and learning model will handicap development
Personal/family relationships are prone to suffer due lack of physical space
Challenges in defining, measuring and equating productivity
Disorientation of work-life balance
Gender bias on bandwidth and technology dissemination
Support system at work will dismantle
External child care support system might lapse
Pallavi Mahajan
Gender Rights Lawye & Diversity and Inclusion Consultant

5. RECOMMENDATIONS TO ENABLE A SUCCESFUL WFH MODEL ESPECIALLY FOR WOMEN
CULTURE SYSTEM LEADERSHIP
Gender equal opportunities in
WFH Policy
Address employee safety
measures in WFH model
Equitable dissemination of
technology
POSH guidelines for WFH
model
Alternate safe space for
employees
Child Care Support
Work-Life balance
Rationing of calls/meetings
Measurement of performance
and productivity
Higher sensitivity towards
primary care givers
Educating and training of
employees on diverisfied home
environments
Usage of incluisve language and
expression
Be observant of emotional /
physical violence of an employee
Safe space for talking about
hostile home spaces
Sensitive towards unconscious
gender bias
Mental health support
Dignity for all
Promote strict adherance of
WFH Policy
Increase representation of
women at the leadership
positions
Promote skill of empathy
Translation of humanitarian
skills into measurable actions
Regular training of the
leadership on compassion and
empathy
Set an example of strict work
life balance
Encourage distress and
greivance call
Be a listenerPallavi Mahajan
Gender Rights Lawyer & Diversity and Inclusion Consultant