Geeta Rao
20 Nov, 2006 2139hrs IST Times News Network
They're achievers, earn well, but struggle to find that work-life balance.
Projects, deadlines, working for 10-12 hours sometimes, and then the traffic. That's why some women IT professionals spoke to the CM and his deputy recently, requesting for better infrastructure. Many, young mothers, find the 'golden time' between 6-9 pm spent in buses, not with their kids. There is no quality of life, they say. But what kind of lives do they lead anyway?
Traffic's terrible
For young Dechamma, with an MNC major for three years, traffic's a huge bugbear. Up early, she catches the 7.15 am bus to reach office by 8.15 am. If she takes the 7.30 am bus, she reaches only by 9.30! Then it's work till 5.15 pm, with breakfast and lunch breaks, and she's home by 7.15. A full 12 hours gone, and a neat 25 per cent of it in traffic. So, she plugs in her earphones and listens to music on the bus. However, that's better than travelling by car (which most own) and getting caught in a jam, she says.
No time
Shobha Ramakanth, with an IT major for three years, says IT employees earn great salaries, but spend them? No time. "We earn well but there's no time to spend money. We just look forward to the weekend, but are so pooped we sleep almost all day. No socialising. Sundays are spent in catching up on personal work like buying groceries for the next week."
Before leaving home at 7.30 am, Shobha rushes out on a glass of milk, has breakfast and lunch at office. Some colleagues pick up dinner at the office, catch the bus, reach home by 9 pm and microwave the dinner.
Nupur K, from an IT MNC, says her older colleagues with kids have a huge worklife balance issue.
No exercise
At work, they sit in front of the computer for 10-12 hours, and the weight piles on, says Shobha. There's just no time for exercise, though facilities include gyms, tennis, basketball, badminton courts and more. Take time off, and you must make up by coming in on Saturdays.
Trupti, in the IT field for eight years, has a one-yearold and rushes back home after work. "I could gym at the office, but I don't, since it means an hour less with family."
Weekends, holidays
The traffic's gotten to Dechamma so, she doesn't move out on weekends. "I just don't want to see another vehicle," she says. Another software pro gets Sunday evening and Monday morning blues each week. Shobha doesn't have time for anything, so she married an architect (not an IT guy, by choice) so at least one of them has a normal life. Shobha says most IT colleagues spend 15 days annually at a hill station with family. Or visit relatives who live abroad.
Trupti believes vacations are a must. "It must be a 10-day break at least, otherwise you keep thinking of the
Monday that's fast approaching."
Beat the problem
Asha S, an IT employee lives close to the office in the heart of the city. So there's time in the evening and during weekends for herself. Trupti, husband and child eat out a lot, and watch movies during weekdays. But it's her support system that keeps her afloat. "I'm the kind who wants everything, home and work. But I have my parents and inlaws around, so they all help."
Work or life?
Says Hema Ravichandar, Strategic HR Advisory, "While worklife balance has always been more of a challenge for women, when offices are located outside Central Business Districts, travel times place a greater demand on the employee's time. Also it becomes tougher for employees to visit paediatricians or attend parent-teacher meetings and return to the workplace. However, company campuses situated outside CBD have space to allow for gyms, lifestyle enhancement, hobby centres and even on campus guest houses which are a boon to coping with the heavily burdened infrastructure."
20 Nov, 2006 2139hrs IST Times News Network
They're achievers, earn well, but struggle to find that work-life balance.
Projects, deadlines, working for 10-12 hours sometimes, and then the traffic. That's why some women IT professionals spoke to the CM and his deputy recently, requesting for better infrastructure. Many, young mothers, find the 'golden time' between 6-9 pm spent in buses, not with their kids. There is no quality of life, they say. But what kind of lives do they lead anyway?
Traffic's terrible
For young Dechamma, with an MNC major for three years, traffic's a huge bugbear. Up early, she catches the 7.15 am bus to reach office by 8.15 am. If she takes the 7.30 am bus, she reaches only by 9.30! Then it's work till 5.15 pm, with breakfast and lunch breaks, and she's home by 7.15. A full 12 hours gone, and a neat 25 per cent of it in traffic. So, she plugs in her earphones and listens to music on the bus. However, that's better than travelling by car (which most own) and getting caught in a jam, she says.
No time
Shobha Ramakanth, with an IT major for three years, says IT employees earn great salaries, but spend them? No time. "We earn well but there's no time to spend money. We just look forward to the weekend, but are so pooped we sleep almost all day. No socialising. Sundays are spent in catching up on personal work like buying groceries for the next week."
Before leaving home at 7.30 am, Shobha rushes out on a glass of milk, has breakfast and lunch at office. Some colleagues pick up dinner at the office, catch the bus, reach home by 9 pm and microwave the dinner.
Nupur K, from an IT MNC, says her older colleagues with kids have a huge worklife balance issue.
No exercise
At work, they sit in front of the computer for 10-12 hours, and the weight piles on, says Shobha. There's just no time for exercise, though facilities include gyms, tennis, basketball, badminton courts and more. Take time off, and you must make up by coming in on Saturdays.
Trupti, in the IT field for eight years, has a one-yearold and rushes back home after work. "I could gym at the office, but I don't, since it means an hour less with family."
Weekends, holidays
The traffic's gotten to Dechamma so, she doesn't move out on weekends. "I just don't want to see another vehicle," she says. Another software pro gets Sunday evening and Monday morning blues each week. Shobha doesn't have time for anything, so she married an architect (not an IT guy, by choice) so at least one of them has a normal life. Shobha says most IT colleagues spend 15 days annually at a hill station with family. Or visit relatives who live abroad.
Trupti believes vacations are a must. "It must be a 10-day break at least, otherwise you keep thinking of the
Monday that's fast approaching."
Beat the problem
Asha S, an IT employee lives close to the office in the heart of the city. So there's time in the evening and during weekends for herself. Trupti, husband and child eat out a lot, and watch movies during weekdays. But it's her support system that keeps her afloat. "I'm the kind who wants everything, home and work. But I have my parents and inlaws around, so they all help."
Work or life?
Says Hema Ravichandar, Strategic HR Advisory, "While worklife balance has always been more of a challenge for women, when offices are located outside Central Business Districts, travel times place a greater demand on the employee's time. Also it becomes tougher for employees to visit paediatricians or attend parent-teacher meetings and return to the workplace. However, company campuses situated outside CBD have space to allow for gyms, lifestyle enhancement, hobby centres and even on campus guest houses which are a boon to coping with the heavily burdened infrastructure."
No comments:
Post a Comment