Women bank officers have been asked to equip themselves to deal with any situation that might crop at the work place.
While doing so, they might as well square up to the task of nation-building, according to Ms Sobha Koshy, Chief Post Mater-General, Kerala.
Ms Koshy said this while delivering the keynote address at a seminar on ‘Working women: Career and social issues' organised here by the All India Bank Officers Confederation (AIBOC) as a prelude to the State Women's Conference on January 22.
WORK PLACES
Like in personal life, women have to face challenges at their work places, Ms Koshy said. They have to learn to deal with them with courage and conviction. Being put to work at different places in the country is a rewarding experience, but women officers face various difficulties when compelled to work in remote areas.
These situations need to be met with equanimity and poise, which would help women officer a lot while in handling similar situations in life.
Inaugurating the seminar, Ms Jameela Prakasam, MLA, a former women officer herself and an assistant general manager with a major nationalised bank, requested officers to show solidarity with the distressed and poor in the society.
Banks have been extending loans to Kudumbashree and other women empowerment programmes, apart from implementing various loan linked to Government-sponsored schemes.
Women officers should adopt a sympathetic approach to issues related to empowerment of women and employment generation.
They should also look at playing a pivotal role in achieving the delicate balance of maintaining a satisfactory family life and managing business at their respective institutions.
They should seek to learn more from modern strategies of management and use them for the betterment of their career.
Introducing the theme, Ms R. Parvathi Devi, a working journalist, said that most of the problems that beset working women were in reality rooted in the social perspective of their status in the society.
TYPECAST ROLE
Traditionally, men are seen as the bread winner and women as house-keepers, child bearers and rearers. This typecast role continues to put obstacles before working women. A fundamental change is required in the attitudes of the employers, policy makers, family members and other relatives and the public at large towards the issues of women.
Ms Indira Raveendran, Working President, Kerala Mahila Sangham, said most of the women bank officers are successful managers at home and office.
Ms Omana V. Thomas, Chairperson of the AIBOC women's wing, presided over the function. Ms Vijaya Anathakrishnan, President, Dhanlaxmi Bank Officers Organisation, was the moderator.
Ms T. M. Rajalakshmi, Deputy Secretary, AIBOC, and Ms B. Jayalakshmi, Vice-Chairperson of the women's wing, spoke on the occasion.