One-third of Malaysian career mums feel held back by kids, survey finds

KUALA LUMPUR, May 11 — About one-third of Malaysian women said that having children affected their career goals and opportunities, according to a study by recruitment firm Monster.com released today.

In addition, three in 10 women surveyed said they have been held back at work due to their decision to have children, while another 28 per cent said they were “not sure” of such a situation.

“Mothers returning to the workforce bring new skills and a new perspective to the workplace, yet they are often overlooked. This somewhat undervalued pool of talent, who often have extensive prior work experience, require minimal adjustments to return to the workforce fulltime.

“What they need is support, understanding and clear objectives and goals on their responsibilities and deliverables,” Sanjay Modi, the managing director of Monster.com Asia-Pacific and Middle East, said in a statement.

The study revealed that seven in 10 Malaysian women face some form of workplace discrimination, with the top complaint being overlooked for promotions and advancement due to their gender — affecting more than four out of 10 respondents.

Around three out of 10 women felt that their bosses or managers “talked down” to them, while a quarter was questioned about their desire to start a family even during the interview process.

Furthermore, nearly two out of 10 women said they were not given certain responsibilities due to family commitments, while over one in 10 have been called names in workplace — such as “bossy” just for being assertive.

The women polled also said that “how they are perceived” by colleagues and clients are their biggest challenge at work.

Despite that, the survey said that some Malaysian women are given flexibility at work, with more than half being allowed flexible working hours, and over a third allowed to work from home.

“Supporting female talent is an effort that extends beyond maternity benefits and will allow employers retain this valuable talent pool. Malaysian employers must tap into this often- inactive group while also considering family-friendly and flexible policies.

“Beyond just focusing more on attracting and recruiting female talent, employers must invest in retaining, mentoring and promoting women already in the pipeline to reach their full potential,” Sanjay said.

Monster.com said the survey covered 700 respondents across the country. The firm did not give the details of the demographic covered.