The Genpact Centre for Women’s leadership (GCWl), a partnership between Ashoka University in Haryana, awarded graduation certificates to 18 women from five companies, who participated in ‘Breakthrough,’ the organisation’s unique seven-month training programme for mothers returning to the workplace.
Helping them to adapt to the changing working environment and resume their careers, the first session unfolded over three modules spread over six days through a residential format. Designed to retain talented women post motherhood, Breakthrough aims to build a pipeline of women who can catapult each other, and their organisation, to a different and inclusive growth trajectory.
The second session of the programme that begins in October 2017 is a unique opportunity for growth-oriented companies who wish to invest in talented women and fix their talent pipeline at its leakiest point. According to a research study: “On-Ramps and Up-Ramps India,” by the Center for Talent Innovation, nine out of 10women who take a career break in India want to return to work, yet only 58 per cent are able to rejoin full-time work. The “double burden syndrome” of balancing work and motherhood is a key factor that dissuades women from re-entering the workforce. Companies have introduced policy measures and interventions to tackle the mid-career dropout of women like flexible work hours and work from home policies, yet research indicates that 54 per cent of women fear that taking flex options will hamper their advancement. Almost 62 per cent of women who chose part-time work feel stalled in their career, versus 48 per cent of those who followed a conventional career path.
With these prominent gaps in mind, the curriculum focuses on strength awareness, emotional and physical resilience, and career growth planning. Action learning Projects are designed to build networks, create visibility for women, their teams and organisations, and help create long-term impact. The participants sharpen their leadership skills through assessments that measure emotional intelligence and interpersonal relationship orientation, with follow-on executive coaching.