Flipkart launches new maternity policy

Expecting moms, new-moms or moms to younger children will  get their rights at  Flipkart workplaces according to a new policy set up by the organise.  A long-standing apprehension that every new mom faces is the guilt and insecurities of leaving a child behind at home to go to work and the billions worth startup is trying to address this.

"Women around us have always been doing a balancing act, juggling between work, life and home," acknowledged Flipkart while announcing their 'Brand New Maternity Program'.  Their program includes benefits for women right from when they're two months away from delivery, to when they're moms to toddlers, even in fact, encompassing mothers of 4-year-olds.

Flipkart has attempted to redress this issue by establishing tie-ups with creches and day-care centres, so that the rates could be subsidized 50 percent or absolutely waived off, for moms wanting to enroll their child up to 4 years.

Going a step further, the online retailer has also offered to cover upto Rs. 65,000 of the cost of a Normal Delivery, and Rs. 80,000 for deliveries involving C-Sections. Also putting "Safe" and "Comfortable" travel on their agenda, they announced benefits like  commutes through increased daily travel allowances granted to women for two months before their maternity leave, as well as dedicated parking spots for women two months before and after their delivery.

"When it comes to parenting and motherhood, we want new mother's at Flipkart to have the best possible care and feel fully supported, so that they can thoroughly enjoy this significant phase of life," they explained.

To that effect, the E-commerce giant also wishes to improve the quality of life for women who are in this crucial phase by helping them acclimatise to their changed circumstances. Hence, they are offering a maternity care program - like counseling sessions from wellness coach on parenting, work-life balance, family health etc.

What's more- in what is possibly a first- Flipkart is also formulating policies for new-dads, which are in the work-in-progress stage and are set to be launched "very soon."

This is not the first time Flipkart has championed gender-equality as a part of its core ideology. With this initiative, they are creating a work-environment that has the needs as well as the special needs of all its employees at its heart. And not so long ago, they also launched an ad campaign that advocated a liberal outlook towards homosexuality.

Myntra, another app-based shopping network now owned by Flipkart, depicted the life of a lesbian couple with an air of utmost normalcy in an online ad campaign that was very well received. One cannot help but get hopeful that when a large company like Flipkart sets an example like that, competitors will have no option but to follow suite. I'd like to believe that the dominoes of change have been set in motion until equality and inclusivity in the workplace becomes the norm.