“Your father is a businessman, what does your mother do?”
“Nothing, she is a housewife.”
I have heard this response in almost every interview that I have taken. Whether at MBA entrance level or at professional job interviews. What exactly does this mean?
“Tum HR walon ko kaam kya hai? Salary nikalna aur training ke naam pe picnic organize karna” This is a popular sentence spoken in most companies.
Traditionally, the HR function in an organisation has been the support function. Despite being the fulcrum of operations and results, they have been shunted in a corner. Any expenses that an HR department wishes to make are segregated under cost heads and usually kept on the back burner. HR moves on a tight budget and is always questioned on stringent efficiency parameters.
(I prefer to call her a homemaker rather than a house wife. Housewife to me sounds more like house rat – a menace.)
A homemaker too, despite working with extremely hard to keep the family running is also treated as a support function. Kitty parties and outings are viewed with skepticism. Their work, timing and expenses are closely monitored. The working class have no idea that a kitty party is actually a respite from the humdrum and also a means to save money.
Why are homemakers and HR departments subjected to such treatment?
Simply because neither HR nor the homemaker directly contribute to the income. Their role is measured in terms of the monetary value that they bring in or send out. The cost benefit ratios are based on Return on Investment and Productivity rather than the operational efficiency that they are experts in. As a result the department that brings in the money gets all the respect in a family unit as well as an organisation.
The department that brings in the money gets all the respect in a family unit as well as an organisation.
In the recent past, large organisations have come to realize that HR is a vital cog in the organization`s wheel.
I wonder when the same will happen for the homemaker. For how long will a homemaker have to hear,”What do you do? Everything is done by the maids.” When will the role of a homemaker be as respected as that of the breadwinner?
Looking forward to hear your thought, suggestions and comments.
— Penned by Mayura Amarkant
This is my Day 17 post for Ultimate Blogging Challenge #DailyChatter through the amazing @BlogChatter community of bloggers
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This is the 9th post in the #DilSe series. Here are the rest:
- #DilSe: Celebrating Womanhood…the VIBHA SINGH way…
- #Dil Se: Marathi nostalgia with a contemporary twist
- #Dil Se – 7 lessons from a breast cancer survivor
DiaryOfAnInsaneWriter 
You’ve drawn a perfect analogy here. I’ll always remember the HR reference. 🙂
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Thank you so much…keep stopping by…feedback is a huge encouragement…
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A very good article .HR still gets paid but the SAHM doesn’t that’s the difference.
In Britain they have passed a law that a wife actually earns 50%of her husbands salary by supporting him with a good home environment. So we will need similar rules to make people realize this.
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Missed you here…thank you for stopping by …
Yes, I also hope that we change parameters and scenarios asap
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Have been at Very senior level of HR and I know what you mean. Understanding business and revenue and then aligning HR strategies as per that is what has given HR the leverage that they enjoy today. A home maker is way more challenging than HR but perhaps being the Home maker you dont need any formal/ specialized qualification hence we look down upon the function
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Very true..I hope things will change someday
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It will change but the rate of paradigm shift is very slow
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What a brilliant piece of insight into the similarity between Housewife / Homemaker and HR .
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Being an HR person n juggling wid the home front at the same time… I exactly understand wat u Wana convey…. Ppl cud label both of these as “thankless jobs” but I treat them as the E^3 test… ENERGY… ENTHUSIASM… EMPATHY 🙂
N V Women Rockkkkkk…. in all these three…. Watsay 🙂
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I totally agree with you!!
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Return on Investment, being from sales and marketing this term is not new. I agree this term takes away the humanity away from people and thinking capabilities. HR has a great role to play, everyone is dependent on them still the lack of acceptance. Home maker – has so much to do. A financial expert, a consultant, a interior designer – a home maker does all. I think lets ask all of them to submit bills and expenses may be then the world will value
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I agree you with you Mayura….I don’t know much about HR but yes as a homemaker I don’t get my own free time and have to adjust according to the other family members…
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True..and I respect you for that
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I used to call myself as domestic engineer!!! Tough job you know… glad m one u is DE !!
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So so true Mayura!! I don’t know much about H R but yes as a homemaker I know how we are subjected to these kind of remarks!!
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True…its sad…
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You have expressed the concerned with such a simple yet in profound way.
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Thank you so much…
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Hi mayura,
You are welcome i am glad connecting with you…looking for rest of your posts too..
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