The primary U.S. banking subsidiary of financial services multinational Citigroup, Citibank introduces a 12-month WFH option for its women employees post maternity leave in India.
Citi India & South Asia, Chief Human Resources Office, Aditya Mittal, said, “Most studies on women participation in the workforce suggest that women tend to drop out or take a long break in their employment during this stage which impacts their careers and eventually the percentage of women at senior levels in organizations.”
“This is a big and timely step to ensure we retain women’s talent and support their career aspirations when they need it the most”, Aditya Mittal added.
This work-from-home option will be available for female employees at the end of their maternity leave of 26 weeks.
Citibank India said, “On a need basis, a woman employee can request 3 months of work from home in the last trimester of pregnancy, subject to review and approvals.”
The bank further added, “This potentially provides a cumulative period of 21 months of working from home for expecting/new mothers.”
“This initiative is expected to widely benefit women by ensuring continuity of their careers with Citi”, it added.
“Parenting, while being incredibly rewarding, also comes with challenges. At Citi India, we understand this”, the bank added.
“Whether it’s flexible work arrangements or simply lending a listening ear, we support colleagues who are entering parenthood with a host of maternity and paternity benefits”, it said.
Citi began operations in India over a century ago in 1902 in Kolkata and today is a significant foreign investor in the Indian financial market with an employee strength of 30,000 people with the women workforce making up to 38 percent.
Additionally, of the mid-level and senior positions at the bank 30 percent are held by women. This will be an additional benefit for the women workforce.
Citi India, through its network of Citi Service Centres, has been a leading offshoring unit for Citigroup globally, providing employment opportunities in the areas of technology, processing, analytics, and financial processes.