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employed a two tiered approach including a Survey and Key Informant Interviews
(KIIs) in SCOPE member organisations.
Chapter 3 draws from a record number of responses that of 1,969 women
employees of different SCOPE member PSEs who participated in the online survey,
and provides an analysis of the survey results. It is evident that women employees in
PSEs having experienced the work from home arrangement in the most challenging
circumstances, weighed its pros and cons accordingly. They have realised and
therefore highlighted that a WfH arrangement without clear cut guidelines leads to
blurring the boundaries of work hours. PSEs need to be culturally adapted to the idea
of WfH, and then devise effective policies and the infrastructural support system for its
proper implementation. This alone will go a long way in facilitating the work-life
balance in every woman employees' life.
Chapter 4 provides key reflective learning based on the findings of the KIIs in 22 select
PSEs. The KIIs formed a significant part of the methodological approach employed by
the SCOPE-ILO study. These were conducted to provide an opportunity to senior
management and decision makers in the PSEs to voice their understanding and
insights on COVID induced work from home arrangements as the new normal. Herein,
there was unanimity that while WfH was a necessity, it was forced post COVID-19
declared pandemic and it definitely cannot be applied for the entire company. Also,
the new norm was not specifically the WfH but how to return to function optimally with
necessary safety and precautionary measures. In addition, the women respondents
under KIIs, specifically responded to how differently the work from home arrangement
influenced women in the PSEs as employees, as caregivers, and as
managers/leaders.
Chapter 5 provides a synthesis of the findings of the study (survey and KIIs) and
summarizes six key dimensions of WfH arrangement that the study identified. Besides,
the chapter captures some of the womens voices. Drawing from their COVID induced
work from home experience, women cutting across PSEs, shared multiple anecdotes
that acts as an eye-opener to various facets of a work from home arrangement. WfH
cannot simply be labelled as a good or a bad option. Underlying a good or a bad
option, there are factors at play.
Chapter 6, the final and concluding chapter, presents the key outcome of the study
Guidelines for a Gender Sensitive Work from Home (WfH) Policy in PSEs. The
guidelines based on inputs from multiple stakeholders that include women executives
(E4-E9 level executives in PSEs); senior management and decision makers in PSEs,
besides SCOPE can be read in attribution to the three roles executed by women in
particular. Some of the guidelines are applicable to all genders; some guidelines are
also overlapping. A working from home policy - integrating these guidelines, is
recommended to ensure that employees, now and those joining in future are clear
about working from home practices.
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