Study on non-legislative initiatives for companies to promote gender ...

104 Gender equality initiatives
To make sure that all interested pupils are able to attend e-learning, online tutorials
and support are provided free of charge. Especially in the beginning of the project this
was an important help for the young women and men working on the technical projects,
because there were not so many lectures available for free on-line as they are now.
Motorola Inc. stresses that it is important to provide free and time flexible training to
ensure that everyone and especially those who cannot afford to invest much money in
their education or who have other responsibilities besides school (traditionally women)
can attend training.
3.4 Reconciliation
Meanwhile, especially with regard to multinational companies (with USA origin) some
work-life procedures have become common practices throughout their European
branches as well. Most of the companies analysed in the course of this research project
offer the following reconciliation possibilities (which also impact significantly on the
retention of female staff):
• Telecommuting / flexible work place
• flexible work time
• part-time working / job-sharing
• child care facilities
As the extent to which these policies are implemented in the branches of the
multinational companies in various European countries is subject to national legislation,
the approaches pursued may slightly differ between countries. Moreover, these policies
require a position/job modalities that enable them (e. g. telecommuting is not possible
for a cashier) and positive assessment of the employee’s will and ability to perform (as
the company to a certain extend gives up control over employees).
Reconciliation measures are in most cases (when appropriate) targeted at men and
women. Whether in fact men or women benefit more from such reconciliation policies
to a large degree depends on the perception of society, the company culture and
the individuals themselves; e. g. in the Nordic countries, child care is rather regarded as
obligation of persons/employees within a certain age group (male and female), whereas
in other European countries child care still appears to be more or less attributed to
women. For the latter countries it is indeed true that women who are mothers are given
the chance to work through reconciliation measures.
Procter & Gamble Corp. uses to the term “gender diversity” when talking about gender
issues at the workplace. The gender diversity measures which Procter & Gamble
Corp. provide address the field of reconciliation and basically include: location free
roles; flexible work arrangements (reduced work schedule/part-time); working from
home/teleworking; personal leave of absence (e. g. three months sabbatical due to
personal reasons); family leave up to 12 months in order to look after family dependents
(children, partner, parent or other family relatives) or care of dependents when
travelling (information resources and financial support to care for dependents in case of
non-routine business demands/travelling). These measures are available for male and
female employees.
Eli Lilly has as well implemented a range of programmes to allow for flexibility at the
workplace, e. g. flextime, flexweek, part-time, job sharing or telecommuting. Participa-