In a progressive move aimed at supporting its female employees, Citibank India has introduced a flexible work-from-home (WFH) policy. This initiative allows women employees to request up to 12 months of WFH following their maternity leave of 26 weeks. Additionally, expecting mothers can also avail of three months of WFH during their last trimester of pregnancy. Collectively, this offers a remarkable 21-month window of remote work opportunities for new and expecting mothers.
This initiative aligns with a June 2021 advisory issued by the Central Government, urging state and union territory governments to promote WFH options for nursing mothers. Citibank India stands out as one of the early adopters of this maternity-linked WFH program. Previously, ICICI Bank, led by Chanda Kocchar, introduced “iWork@home,” an initiative allowing women to work from home for up to a year based on their specific needs.
Aditya Mittal, Chief Human Resource Officer at Citi India & South Asia, expressed his enthusiasm for this pioneering initiative. He emphasized the importance of addressing the challenges women often face in the workforce, particularly during maternity and early motherhood. Studies have shown that many women either leave their jobs or take extended breaks during this period, which can impact their career trajectories and reduce the representation of women in senior leadership roles within organizations.
This move by Citibank India is expected to set a positive precedent for the industry, inspiring other companies to implement similar policies that align with the government’s vision for empowering working mothers and promoting gender diversity in the workplace.
