Tuesday, July 17, 2012

The Professional DROP OUTS

An HT article a few days back  stated that only 3 of the Top 50 companies in India had a women force of 30%.
Have come across many such stories which, when read at a glance, paints a perception of a glass ceiling for women, or an inequitable work place at times or factors that are not exactly women friendly.

But beneath all the data and the stories of  work place and work life balance, perhaps lies a deeper truth.

That there is a substantial number of professional women who have chosen to "drop out".

What prompts these Drop Outs?

When the partner starts earning in multiple digits and the pressure of the double income quotient eases off.
When children become a priority over everything else.
When , again, a comfortable financial status means one has the freedom to dabble in a passion like art, NGO work, writing etc, instead of the rigours of a profession.

Let's face it.
We are still brought up in a way that gears us to "get married".
Our education and exposure does drive us to careers but we are judged, still judged, by our marital status.Or lack of it.
We are still conditioned to the role of wife, mother, homemaker first and these responsibilities cannot be a compromise, even if we want our independence by working.
We still cook or supervise whats on the table for meals, check the kids uniforms and homework and stay up late on those school projects. Not just office powerpoints.

So if we are not under pressure to "earn", we do have a choice.
And can still be socially embraced and personally fulfilled.

While the economy does lose out on half the bright creative multitasking minds, we have happy families that laugh and live together.
It is a different happiness quotient, in a society that puts family over everything else.
Perhaps rightly so.