Business

More Power To Women At Trident

If there is one thing consistent about gender roles across history, it is the fact that women were never allowed to take control. While control over the world and global recognition was a rather far-fetched idea, they weren't even allowed to take charge of their own destinies. The man of the house has always been perceived to be the wider umbrella under which the family acquires money, while women clutch onto a thankless job. And if at all destiny plunges them to a point where fending for themselves and others around is the last and only resort available to them, the struggles and challenges they face in this singularly patriarchal system are not just confined to their professional challenges. Even if she becomes a "bread-winner", she seldom gets to shed away the responsibility of being a "bread-maker".

But today's woman is strong, she's invincible. The proportion of women who carry the main financial responsibility and clearly fall into the bracket of sole earning members for the family has increased by 50% since 1996. The idea of females being the sole earners is not an entirely new concept. Since time immemorial we have seen women fight the odds and step out to keep the wagon afloat; the biggest example, 80% of the domestic helps, mightily sweeping away their hard luck across our country. Women who courageously walk out of disturbed marriages or indomitably deal with fates tough card or those who compassionately fill up for their partner's failed careers or simply choose to build their castles all by themselves and shelter within their abode all those connected to her with love and a sense of responsibility.

Ironically, the struggle of these women across stratas, be it for a woman who engages in daily wages or someone who ventures out in the corporate sector, trickles down unto common grounds. While a man unquestionably inherits a right to denounce all other duties and just focus on his job, a woman's job never ends. For her it's never a 9-5. Specially, if she is single-handedly running the show.

Understanding the need to provide a breather and extend an emotional support to the sole earning female members, Trident has launched The Sole Earning Female Members Initiative under Asmita, a women centric cell, to comfort and empower all the sole earning female members of the Trident Family. This initiative serves as an emotional gesture for their support.

All ladies who:

1. Are looking after their parents alone

2.. Are supporting the education of their children

3. Are bringing up their children alone, are eligible for this initiative. Under this initiative, they will be offered an additional amount of 25,000 rupees along with Diwali bonus, and can also avail additional paid leaves, over and above their quota, up to a maximum of 25, based on individual needs and situations. Asmita teams conduct regular seminars and interactions across all Trident Group locations to address concerns of these sole earners on the third Tuesday of each month.

Walking down the plant, we find real life stories of women who have overcome adversity in order to become self reliant.

Surinder Kaur a 45-year-old single parent, walked out on her abusive husband after suffering domestic violence for years. She has been looking after her children on her own ever since.

Neha Yadav was five years old when she lost her father. All their family property was sold in order to manage funds for the father's treatment. Her mother turned to hard labour to make ends meet. Neha completed her basic education and joined Trident. Today, she is the only earning member of her family and looks after her mother & two siblings.

This initiative is for the likes of Surinder and Neha and many, many more women who walk through our gates with no financial & emotional backing, hoping for a better tomorrow. Trident becomes their pillar.

And this pillar stands strong not just for the sole earners, but also for working women in general. Every woman from IL4 and above, working with the organisation gets to work from home on any two days of month in addition to the flexible timing policy that runs for every member of Trident Family.

(Rajinder Gupta is Chairman, Trident Group)