Mothers have been glorified throughout history for their virtues, patience and sacrifice. That motherhood plays an important role in shaping an individual, family and society is indeed true, and needs to be seen and acknowledged more.
What about the human-ness of the person whom we call mother though? What if we laud her for questioning the norms, and embrace her failures? What if we notice her resilience, own her conflict, and the choices that were born out of them? What if we encourage her on her every journey, even if it runs on the parallel tracks of constraint and choice?
A book with Real Stories of Women, Work & Flexibility
#OwnItAll is FlexiBees’ tribute to such mothers, asking them to own all they have been through, all they have been, and all they ever wanted to be.
Nowhere are such conflicts and choices captured as vividly and poignantly as in FlexiBees’ book Found Again: Real Stories of Women, Work & Flexibility. This book is a culmination of the work of FlexiBees (www.flexibees.com), a company that has been serving women professionals - especially mothers after a career break. Over more than half a decade, FlexiBees has helped these talented women land roles that matched their experience and skills and, more importantly, their flexibility needs. Designed primarily as part-time and remote, the roles allow women to have a career while staying involved across the larger spectrum of life.
Written by the cofounders of FlexiBees itself, Shreya, Deepa and Rashmi, the book contains twenty stories of twenty women, each different, each compelling. According to the authors,
"Each journey takes us through a landscape where personal motivations continually interact with professional goals to create unique trajectories. Many of them are the women we call "missing". The same women who broke academic records in a new India entered our workplaces with high hopes and then dropped out of the workforce. They are women who took tough decisions and stood by them. Who walked the treacherous paths of "returnship" and lived to tell the tale. Who built careers that fly in the face of conventional wisdom, be it by constraint or choice."
Praise from Industry Leaders
Even before getting published, the book had gathered advance praise from senior business leaders and authors such as Indra Nooyi, Ajay Banga, Meena Ganesh, K Vaiteeswaran, Kiran Manral, and Rashmi Bansal, among others. The foundational pillar of this book is the in-depth interview conducted with each woman protagonist to unravel the many layers of struggle, hope, persistence, and victory that she had been through before she made it back to work in a flexible way.
Starting with the story of Neti, a salesperson who had spent many years trying to get back to work after a maternity break. Bouncing like a pendulum between hopeful interviews and rejections, Neti's confidence levels had taken an all-time hit in trying to convince prospective employers of her ability to work after a career break.
Regaining her confidence in little steps while upskilling herself and networking, Neti had to let go of an opportunity that required her to be out of her home for 10-12 hours daily. She had to reject the chance because it did not suit her lifestyle, but this experience gave her confidence back and ultimately led her to find a flexible role that also respected her skills.
Then there is Swati, a mother who decided to become single when she realized her marriage would not create an ideal environment for the child growing up. On the one hand, she needed financial independence to care for her daughter. However, she also had to provide more emotional support to her daughter, to compensate for the unkindness society would sometimes mete out to the child of a single mom. A job was needed, but so was flexibility.
It is inspiring to read how Swati worked for a friend in an unrelated sector yet learnt much about digital marketing through hands-on practice. Supplementing herself with certifications and experience, she eventually made a mark for herself in the field of her choice. All the while nurturing her daughter's growth the way she wanted it.
Gripping Real Stories of Women from Various Parts of India
The book moves on to other protagonists from Tirunelveli to Delhi, Jamnagar to Visakhapatnam. While there is a diversity among the protagonists on geographic location and the function they are from - be it Sales, Marketing, Digital Marketing, Finance, Technology, Graphic design, or HR- another kind of diversity is reflected in the stories too.
That of the changing demographic of women who are thinking about flexibility seriously. Apart from caregivers and mothers for whom flexibility to balance work and life is an existential need, there is also the need for the soul to work freely, and have varied interests.
The stories of Vidushi, Sanjana, and Kavita show this. The power of insatiable curiosity, the courage to follow their soul, and the significant ways flexibility has helped them stay sane, and embrace the finer things in life that lend meaning.
Written primarily to motivate women who may have given up hope to find a meaningful career after a break, "Found Again" is a timely book inspired by the personal stories of the protagonists while giving practical advice without being pedantic.
This book would help anyone looking to find a better balance between their work and personal responsibilities. While encouraging employers who are interested in creating a more flexible and supportive work culture, with inspiring nuggets and quotes from others who have done it successfully before them.
How to Get Your Copy
If you are a woman, looking for flexible work, Download FlexiBees’ mobile app, and sign up giving full details http://onelink.to/r9a8fp
#OwnItAll is FlexiBees’ tribute to mothers, asking them to own all they have been through, all they have been, and all they ever wanted to be. This Mother’s Day, FlexiBees is proud to collaborate with SheThePeople to help bring stories of women who embraced challenges, took charge of their lives and returned to work, one way or another.
