Scaler, the tech upskilling startup, has announced 12 days of period leave for its women and transgender employees across the organisation. This leave will be in addition to the annual leaves that are generally allotted to all employees. With effect from 1 January 2022, women and transgender employees will be able to avail one full day or two half-days per month with full pay, as period leave.
These leaves will be automatically approved by their managers. Even though these leaves are optional, employees are encouraged to take advantage of the same for the sake of their own health and well being, and not try to hoard or carry them forward to be encashed later.
The #equalnotidentical move is aimed at making the workplace more inclusive for women and those belonging to the transgender community, and also ensure better work-life balance.
Elaborating the rationale behind the initiative, Abhimanyu Saxena, co-founder, Scaler & InterviewBit, admits, “Offering period leaves to our employees is not a groundbreaking move. However, it reflects our collective realisation as an organisation that even though we may be working remotely and doing our best to maintain business continuity, it must not come at the cost of our employees”.
Scaler wishes for its employees to “feel supported and extend what is a basic necessity to them”. After all, like Saxena emphasises, “a business is only as good as its people”.
He reiterates that Scaler endeavours “to ensure that the people who pour themselves wholeheartedly into working towards our dream of becoming a world-class virtual tech-varsity find their journey satisfying and rewarding.”
The upskilling platform’s workforce comprises 33 per cent women, and it is all for providing equal opportunity for women in the tech workforce. Under its POSH policy directives, Scaler has been trying to sensitise its leadership towards creating and facilitating a safe, healthy and harassment-free workplace. Not surprisingly, it has been posting low attrition of only about four per cent over the past couple of years.
Scaler raised US$20 million in a Series-A Funding round in January 2020. Today, it boasts of a 700-strong workforce and over 1000+ mentors/teaching assistants on the platform to bridge the tech talent gap in India. Till date, more than 8,500 learners have joined Scaler’s educational programmes.
