Introduction to the literature review
Working mothers have called for UAE companies to be more flexible. They want companies to establish flexitime, a system that allocates the number of hours a woman would work in a week. For a long period, Emirati mothers have always dedicated their child-rearing duties to their nannies. The flexitime is said to help women balance between home and work responsibilities. In situations where women are expected to work for longer hours, they are constrained to perform domestic roles. According to Khoori (2015), the new system guarantees job satisfaction and improved productivity in the workplace. There are numerous uncertainties associated with a system that is not flexible. It has been found that most institutions would generate loses if they fail to come up with flexible working hours for the Emirati women workers. Lack of flexibility at the job place leaves mothers with two options; quit the job and become a full-time mother, or ignore the domestic responsibilities and spend time advancing her career so that they can climb the top professional ladder (Tennant et.al, 2014).
Companies that will fail to provide a flexible schedule may lose their top female employees to companies that offer such services. In the recent past, the establishment of nurseries in both the private and the public sectors has offered an alternative to a flexible timetable (Khoori, 2015). The nursery facilities perks have created a sense of satisfaction to most Emirati Female workers. There is no need for women to abandon their roles at the job place because they can multitask. The nurseries help a mother to remain fully committed to their tasks and also take care of their children. Establishing a nursery is a long term solution because it will promote and empower women at the workplace.
Reasons supporting the needs for workplace nurseries
According to The National Editorial (2013), nurseries help all Emirati mothers to contribute to the economy. The major challenge facing women, especially those working in government offices, is the reluctance of allocating the nursery spaces for the kids. At the same time, the places where nurseries have been provided, the benefits accrued have proved that the demands far exceeds the supply. The nurseries are important as they help the Emirati women to participate actively in all activities of the society. The major benefit of providing nurseries to Emirati women is that it helps them to balance motherhood and a career. The women can nurture their children and offer their services at the workplace concurrently. As a result, the nurseries provides a broader spectrum of society as Emirati women participate in nation building. Women will improve the status of the economy because of their leading role in performing tasks and responsibilities at the companies where they work. The employer also saves money that could have recruited new personnel to fill the position left by mothers.
A business analyst at Dubai Customs, Ghalia Alhamouri, expressed the need to establish nurseries by stating, “As a new mum, integrating work responsibilities was a real challenge to her.” She added that “I needed to combine being a caring and a dedicated mum and following my career path ambitions” (Simpson, 2012). Alhamouri asserted that the nursery solved all these challenges. Nurseries ensure that women are comfortable at their workplace because their children are safe. The confidence help them to settle and perform their roles at ease without difficulties. Nurseries enables the Emirati women worker to remain compassionate and devoted mothers and also support them to achieve their career objectives.
In 2012, the Minister of Social Affairs pressed the public-sector employees to meet the needs of the Emirati women workers by providing child care at the workplace. The Minister emphasized the need to establish the nurseries as they help to nurture to nurture the next generation. Moreover, he claimed that the Emirati women will participate at the workplace with ease. The nurseries are meant to facilitate women empowerment in a positive manner. It is regretful to announce that it is only 10% of the total licensed nurseries that belong to the government departments (Nereim, 2012). The Minister urged government institutions to implement the recommendations offered by the cabinet and open nurseries to boost the economy. It is only the private sector that had embraced the calling after they found the advantages associated with nurseries at institutions. After the calling, it was established that the government institutions improved and started to open the nurseries as required.
The federal and local government is expected to offer nursery facilities in offices that have more than 50 female Emirati staff. Besides, the facilities should be offered in offices where the Emirati women have more than 20 children. The decision was passed at a cabinet meeting in 2006 although its implementation has derailed (Issa, 2013). Only 1 out of 10 government departments have ensured the setting up of the nurseries. Most of the departments that have failed to provide nurseries facilities have blamed the inability to ensure that they comply with the health and safety standards. The National Editorial website argued that the government departments were affected by reluctance and institutional inertia that contributed to the poor implementation of the decision made at the cabinet level (2013).
Simpson (2012) maintained that workplace nursery cuts staff absenteeism. Businesses, companies and government offices that offer a quality healthcare benefit a lot from the initiative. For instance, providing workplace nurseries will lower absenteeism, helps mothers to keep time, improve performance in companies, and lead to greater employee loyalty. Statistics provided by Dubai Customs indicated that the rate of absenteeism reduced by 70%, and lateness by 72% after a nursery was established in 2009 (Simpson, 2012). Besides, 4 out of 5 staff said that nurseries minimized the movements between home and office and also reduced their stress levels. Interestingly, the data specified that 82% of mothers increased loyalty to their employees, 71% of Emirati women agreed that their productivity is improved after the establishment of the nurseries (ibid).
Providing nurseries at the workplace creates a peace of mind to the Emirati women employees. It also prevents women from quitting jobs so that they can look after their children. The employees become happy and the most loyal to their bosses. The establishment of the nurseries also saw women who had gone on early retirement coming back to work. It is a great feeling when women have an opportunity to spend more time with their kids as they can balance life and work (Saadi, 2016). When mothers spend more time with their children, a sense of connection is enhanced, and this nurtures a family in the right direction.
Simpson added that nurseries created a stable routine for children. This is important because it helps the child to adapt and become more active and flexible. In the end, the child develops into an independent baby, and this improves the state of mind. Nurseries do not only provide babysitting services but ensure that quality is offered in the facility. Even though establishing nurseries that provide quality services may be expensive, it has been found that the benefits justify the investment (Simpson, 2012). Nurseries also avoid exposing children to harmful environments that can have detrimental effects on their health.
The facilities works towards creating a healthy environment to the children and avoid diseases. As a result, the Emirati women worker will not have to spend much time seeking for medication that results from poor sanitation facilities. Instead, she will concentrate on the roles assigned by the employer and this will improve the status at the workplace. Nonetheless, it should be known that nurseries offer a learning environment to children. Apart from the close relationship between the mother and infants, the professionals help the infants to learn something different.
The infants are exposed to a different environment, and this improves their skills. The Emirati women also avoid delegating child care duties to maids, nannies, or grandmothers (Nereim, 2012). The professional’s handles children in a proper manner compared to other caretakers. The Emirati women workers develop the assurance that their children are at the right lace despite their absence. They can, therefore, perform their duties in the workplace without being disrupted by thoughts that their children might be experiencing challenges when handled by maids and nannies. The concentration at the job place increases, and this leads to improved efficiency, and this is beneficial to a company’s performance.
Researchers have indicated the effect of nurseries to the trends at the workplace. They positively influence the working families as well as businesses and organizations. Nurseries offer the employer-sponsored childcare, and this is essential for working parents. It is factual that the creation of nurseries has a tangible value and can be felt across all departments in an institution. Apart from positively influencing improved productivity and reduced absenteeism, nurseries serve as a recruitment and retention tool. Mothers will be influenced to join an organization that guarantees nursery services. Nurseries offer quality care to the child and minimizes the burden associated with care given to infants and children. The level of concentration of the Emirati women has also improved after the nurseries were introduced at their places of work.
It is critical to note that nurseries have helped the Emirati women workers to meet their job performance expectations. The women dedicate the time that could be used to look at their children in performing their roles at the workplace. They work on the duties delegated to them without much pressure, and this reduces the level of error in the results. Previously, mothers had to balance their work and life and ensure that both went as expected. In most situations, either the company experienced losses or the children grew without close attachment with the parent.
Moreover, the establishment of nurseries is also encouraging women to offer their best and help the company to excel because it has their interests at heart (Madsen, 2010). Emirati women workers are keen to offer extra effort at the workplace because of the benefits associated with nurseries. Therefore, private institutions and government departments that are yet to establish the nurseries should improve the speed of creating the nursery facilities.
Main advantage of providing the nursery
The main advantage of providing the nursery to Emirati women workers is that it support women to balance between work and life responsibilities. The female employees can adequately perform her duties without necessarily thinking about quitting the job so that she can take care of her child. The level of satisfaction that results from the creation of nurseries cannot be underestimated. Women offer the best they can as nurseries guarantee proper childcare. After creating the nursery facilities, institutions would benefit in various ways. The women workers will concentrate on their work, and early retirement will be avoided. It is also important to note that the children will be exposed to a unique experience where they will learn new things in the new environment. Emirate women employees will serve as dedication and motivation that will help the company achieve its goals and objectives (Langley, 2013).
Effect of nurseries on trend
The introduction of nurseries at the workplace has improved the satisfaction of the Emirati women in the workplace. It is clear that nursery facilities influences the reduction of turnover and employee retention. In most situations, mothers are forced to demand extended maternity leaves or even quit their jobs so that they can look after their children. With the nurseries, this has reduced by a significant margin. It is also evident that mothers are satisfied by the establishment of nurseries as companies continue to attract new employees. The satisfaction that comes with the facility is evident in many forms.
Nurseries offer childcare help, a great determinant of retaining employees. It is costly to lose employees because of the higher costs associated with recruitment, advertising, selection, and training (Haynes, 2015). All these processes requires huge funding from the finance department and this may present challenges because of the inadequate resources. When the mothers are retained, the company ensures they receive extensive training to improve their skills and competencies. Employee retention has been experienced by institutions that put emphasis in offering crèche services to workers with young children (Augsburg et.al, 2009). Women are satisfied by the initiative of introducing nurseries that provide childcare
Evaluation of mother’s satisfaction on the provision of nurseries
Nonetheless, the high level of satisfaction of the Emirati women is reflected in reduced absenteeism and lateness observed in the past. The women in the workplace are happy while serving their roles and not stressed as their children experience quality care offered by the nurseries. Emirate female workers are also satisfied because their productivity and focus have improved. Most organizations that has created the facility noted that it improves the morale of their workforce and motivation and job satisfaction blossoms as a result.
The workplace does not experience the stress-related disorders that affect women who struggle towards achieving a work/life balance (Belwal & Belwal, 2014). In previous situations, most female employees had been experiencing stressful situations in the workplace. The women were torn between quitting their jobs to take care of their children and paying attention to the duties at the workstation. The nurseries will solve any stress related issues that used to haunt women in work places as childcare support is guaranteed. The mental health status of the women will be improved and this will lead to a productive life.
Conclusion that used to haunt women in work places. on. esults fromeries are execed the
As illustrated in the literature review, introducing nurseries at the workplace have a huge impact on Emirati women workers. The nurseries relive the huge burden of care carried by mothers as they offer childcare support (UAEInteract, 2015). It is possible for women to continue working comfortably without much hesitation. The women can concentrate on their duties without having to worry about taking care of their children. The nurseries are expected to offer quality care to the children and educate them with new skills and experiences. The employers also benefit from the performance, and the productivity of workers is immensely improved. The establishment of nurseries should not be undermined, and private businesses, and government institutions should ensure that they are introduced into the workplace. The initiative will offer major economic benefits to both the Emirati women employees and their institutions of work.
Matrix Table
References
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Belwal, S., & Belwal, R. (2014). Work-life balance, family-friendly policies and quality of work life issues: studying employers' perspectives of working women in Oman. Journal of International Women's Studies, 15(1), 96.
Haynes, A. (2015). Child Care: Choices and Costs:A practical guide to employment and tax issues. Spiramus Press Ltd.
Issa, W. (2013, October 3). Dubai 's working mothers seek support from government | The National. Retrieved from http://www.thenational.ae/uae/government/dubais-working-mothers-seek-support-from-government
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Langley, A. (2013). Employee Reward Structures: Fifth edition. Spiramus Press Ltd.
Madsen, S. R. (2010). The experiences of UAE women leaders in developing leadership early in life. Feminist Formations, 22(3), 75-95.
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Saadi, D. (2016, February 10). Delicate balancing act for Emirati women in the workplace - UAE Business Directory - TotalUAE.com. Retrieved from http://www.totaluae.com/news/delicate-balancing-act-for-emirati-women-in-the-workplace/
Simpson, C. (2012, June 10). Workplace nursery cuts staff absenteeism | The National. Retrieved from http://www.thenational.ae/news/uae-news/workplace-nursery-cuts-staff-absenteeism
Tennant, L., Saqr, S., & Stringer, P. (2014). Married Emirati Students Pursuing Teaching Careers from the Perspective of their Spouses. International Journal of Social Science and Humanity, 4(6), 493.
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