Many working mothers around the world face a number of challenges that compelled them to quit their jobs and give up careers. Among the cases, the fear for their infants’ safety and security while they are at workplaces is the one. As sources indicate, every year, a great deal of working mothers give up their jobs to stay in the house, be by the side of their babies and raise them in safety and security.
The situation apart from limiting women’s economic benefits and reducing their participation in the job market, it negatively impacts the companies’ productivity.
The case is not limited merely to working mothers. It is also similar for single dads who are by chance raising their children alone as they encounter comparable challenges with their counterparts and remained worry the whole day for their babies.
Many studies show that the development of children is highly
influenced by their first years of life. The extent how they are brought up,
the way they are treated, to what level they are securely and insecurely grown
impact them positively or negatively. Such experiences have a long-term impact
in
their latter years.
Understanding the benefit of creating good working environment is being a win-win approach for employees and employers, most companies, including Ethiopian companies, are setting up on-site daycare centers to overcome this challenge.
According to Yesihareg Negash, Women, Children and Youth’s Acting Director with Ministry of Education said that the need for the establishment of on-site daycare has many sided benefits- it enables employees to be confident towards the safety of their infants and execute their activities considerately. This, in turn, increases the productivity of the given company.
Since the Center has opened a daycare center in its premises three months ago, around 16 employees are benefitting from the service. As to her, various institutes working under the Ministry are also offering daycare services by setting up the centers within their sites.
Roman Abdulahi, Director of Women, Children and Youth Directorate at Metals Industry Development Institute on her part said that establishing children’s daycare centers at workplace is an encouraging move that boosts up employees morale.
The centers create good moral and offers emotional security for employees who bring their infants to the centers. As most of employees’ challenge knotted with the fear for their infants’ safety and security while they are at workplaces, it highly reduces their worries.
As to her, establishing daycare centers within workplaces apart from attracting new employees to the institutions, they would increase the number of women in the job market by reducing job resignation and renunciation of careers. This in turn, helps to bring more women to management.
“When employees get the opportunity to spend time with their children, it helps them to stay focus on their job and perform well. Taking this into consideration, the Institute will launch well equipped, up to the standard daycare center in the coming two weeks.”
The daycare is built and equipped in a manner to provide the designed services. It has five rooms which each provides various services: five bed rooms, separate recreation and dining rooms, rooms for breastfeeding, restrooms and clinic, as to Roman.
Children with the age range of from four months to three years get the service in the daycare, she remarked.
One of the main reasons behind providing on-site daycare is minimizing the burden of women said Eyerusalem Damete, Director of Gender Issue at the Ministry of Trade and Industry.
Ministry’s on-site daycare has been providing service for the past seven months supported by trained and skilled human power.
“The daycare was built as to the standards devised by public service. Having five rooms for recreation, dining, napping, cleaning, and breastfeeding, the service is provided by trained individuals,” she reiterated.
The on-site daycare can increase product and productivity of employees, empowers women and increases employees’ satisfaction. Though lifting the burden of women is prioritized, the service is not only limited for female employees. Male parents can also bring their children who are not beyond the set age which is three, she said.
The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission is one of the first Institutes that have built on-site daycare at workplace. Accordingly, many government companies including the Ethiopian Press Agency are also working to open daycare centers within their premises.
The Ethiopian Herald July 17/2019
BY BETELHEM BEDLU
