HT ShineJobs Correspondent – yourviews@ shine.com 

Schneider Electric (SE) India has introduced a slew of benefits for women, including 40% women in the workforce from this year. 

Maternity benefits have been revised from three to six months with full pay with the option of six months extra for part-time work. Flexi work timings and six– month sabbaticals for children‘s studies and elderly care will also help the organisation focus on diversity at all levels. 

The initiatives are aimed at 

attracting more women talent to the organisation and to ensure an inclusive environment that provides security as well as flexibility at work, to retain the exist– ing women workforce. SE India is also looking at 50% of all campus recruitments being women. 

Preference will also be given to women returning to work after breaks and leaders will be nurtured by the organisation. To this end, Urja, a women‘s leadership programme has been launched. 

Rachna Mukherjee, chief HR officer, SE India, says, “We advocate gender diversity as a key metric for business success. It is one of our core internal values and our vision is to foster a culture of inclusion where all forms of diversity are seen as adding real value for the company.” 

As a part of the diversity agenda, the organisation encourages equal opportunities for women within the larger ecosystem of Indian society. It has institutionalised the Prerna Awards (Schneider Electric Women Awards) under which women entrepreneurs are recognised and motivated for their achievements in male-dominated sectors.