IFC
research conducted among 15 leading Sri Lankan companies, female
employees were twice as likely to report increased household or care
responsibilities due to COVID-19.
“Never before has work and family life been so intertwined
as we have seen over the past year. COVID-19 has shown us that family-friendly
policies are not just ‘nice to haves’ but ‘must haves’,” said Victor
Antonypillai, IFC’s Acting Country Manager for Sri Lanka and Maldives. “Greater
flexibility in balancing personal and professional lives could yield positive
impacts. Employers who put the needs of their employees first during this
crisis are better set to achieve long-term business sustainability, productivity,
and profitability.”
The ‘Together We Can’ learning sessions, which will be led
by local and global industry experts over a year, will cover areas including
diversity in leadership, building respectful workplaces as well as recruitment
and promotion. It comes at a time when increasing numbers of employees are
working from home.
“FCCISL is excited to join IFC in launching ‘Together We
Can’ to revitalize the gender balance in the private sector workforce,” said
Shirley Jayawardena, President of Federation of Chambers of Commerce and
Industry Sri Lanka (FCCISL). “To deliver sustainable growth and achieve a
strong pandemic recovery, we must engage the full force of our human capital.
Both men and women need to be equal stakeholders in the workplace.”
Family-friendly policies such as paid leave, safe
transportation, and flexible work arrangements significantly benefit businesses
and all employees, but specifically, working parents and children.
“The Australian Government is proud to support this latest
online learning series that offers important expertise Sri Lankan businesses
can use to effectively navigate the impacts of COVID-19,” said Amanda Jewell,
Australian Deputy High Commissioner to Sri Lanka. “This series will bring
together women and men from a wide range of companies across Sri Lanka’s
private sector, to become equal stakeholders in the post-pandemic business
recovery journey, driving gains in productivity, competitiveness and
innovation.”
