Closing Gender Gaps in the World of Work
“Closing Gender Gaps in the World of Work: Companies Supporting Work-Family Balance” on 19 May 2022 from 14.00 – 15.30 hrs. (Webinar Event via Zoom)
With globalisation and rapid technological advances, boundaries between work and home are blurring and demands on workers and companies have never been higher. This has meant increasing challenges for workers to successfully reconcile the conflicting demands of paid work and their family responsibilities. Increases in women’s labour force participation have often resulted in a “double burden” for women of both paid and unpaid work. In addition, with the ageing of the workforce in many countries, there are increasing concerns about how workers can maintain decent jobs while also managing the increasing needs not only of their immediate families but of their extended families as well (e.g. elderly parents, family members with a disability or ill relatives, etc.).
In Thailand, women do more than 3 times the share of unpaid care work than men (ILO, 2019). In particular, women are drawn out of the labour force for family responsibilities, caring for children and ageing family members. Further, COVID-19 has hit women harder and has increased unpaid care burdens due to lockdowns, homeschooling, etc. Addressing women’s unpaid care burdens is not only the top lever for women getting in, staying in and advancing in the labour market in Asia, it is also a key contribution to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 5.4 and 8.5. Companies have been promoting gender equality and many have put in place policies to ensure that workplaces are more family-friendly to support their employees to deliver their family responsibilities without role conflicts and lifetime guilty feelings.
This webinar is an online social dialogue activity under the “Strengthening Capacity to Promote Gender-Responsive Investments in the Provision of Decent Care Services in Thailand Project” (The Care Economy Project – THA/21/01/RBS).
The webinar will highlight examples of companies addressing this important issue of Work-Family Balance as well as the important role of Employer and Business Membership Organisations (EBMOs) and Chambers in promoting this issue as well as broader gender equality at work across their membership. It is co-hosted by ILO, the Employer Confederation of Thailand (ECOT), and the Thai-Norwegian Chamber of Commerce (TNCC).
Register HereObjectives of Closing Gender Gaps in the World of Work – Companies Supporting Work-Family Balance
The main objective of the webinar is to highlight ‘promising practices’ from the private sector and provide participants with practical measures that can be taken by companies to support workers with family responsibilities, with a view to promoting gender equality in the world of work.
At the end of the webinar, attendees will have a better awareness of the evidence in support of gender diversity in the world of work, and the importance of addressing unpaid family care work in particular. They will also have examples of good and promising practices, reinforcing the message that companies can contribute to gender equality in the world of work no matter the size or sector of your business and with mutual gains.
Panelists at Closing Gender Gaps in the World of Work: Companies Supporting Work-Family Balance
- Ms. Parichat Phrajunpanich, Human Resource Director, Michelin Thailand, ECOT member: MNC type
- Ms Vibeke Lyssand Leirvag, Founder and Managing Director of Felicia Design Felicia Design, Norcham member: SME type
- Ms Siriwan Romchatthong, Secretary-General, Employers’ Confederation of Thailand (ECOT)
Target Audience:
The targeted audience are private sectors who are interested to join the global efforts toward the achievements of SDGs 5.4 and 8.5 as well as strengthening their competitiveness through human resource strategies specifically in the areas of gender equality and work-family balance support. These HR strategies and policies are instrumental to strengthen the company’s competitiveness and increasing productivity as they address the critical needs of employees as well as the changing social contexts and technological landscape.
Content:
A panel of discussion will provide the information and practical examples of addressing gender equality in the world of work and work-family balance support. These include:-
- Facts and figures. Its importance and impacts on COVID and the future of work. Some guidance from International Labour Standards.
- What are the benefits of gender diversity in the workplace?
- Why should companies support workers with family responsibility – impacts on productivity / costs structure / staff loyalty / corporate image / etc.?
- Examples of Work-Family Balance policies and supports.
- What has worked for companies?
- What lessons can be shared?
- Advocacy experiences among companies.
For more information, please click here.
Time
14:00 - 15:30