Breathe
By Caryn G. Davis
Latin America shines because of the strength and unwavering commitment of its people. When people are encouraged to achieve professional balance, such strength and commitment can drive a marked increase in business productivity.
Likewise, when considering the gender gap, we find that women dedicate significant time to unpaid caregiving tasks, which represents not only a challenge in their professional balance, but also a restriction in their productive and personal potential.
For this reason, throughout my career in human resources I have sought to create environments that promote the development of the talent of all employees, taking care of their quality of life and, especially, that of those women who are in constant search of self-improvement and opportunities to shine.
Just as we can strive to train physically and gain greater strength or endurance, we can also work on our professional skills and improve until we reach or exceed our aspirations. However, to achieve this we need the right stimuli and the right life balance in order to make the most of our potential.
This is where companies can become the best ally of the unstoppable people who make up this magical region to reveal their immense professional potential, particularly if they are women.
According to the International Monetary Fund, only 52% of women in Latin America participate in the labor market, which contrasts with the fact that 40% of households in the region are headed by women, according to the World Labor Organization.
Likewise, The Economist's global study "How motherhood hurts careers" points out that 24% of mothers quit their jobs after their first child, while 17% do not return to work after 5 years.
This data confirms that becoming our best professional self can be a big challenge, particularly for women.
I recognize how fortunate I am to have resumed my professional career three times after giving birth to my daughters and son, managing to maintain my leadership position in the company despite unfavorable statistics. Having a global corporate vision that recognizes the importance of aligning personal and professional aspirations and making a difference in the development of human talent is a determining factor in cases like mine and many others.
Companies seeking to unleash the full potential of their employees must be sure to both attract talent and retain it. At the end of the day, a talented employee will only stay with a company that values them and lets them know it.
Helping someone with unstoppable potential to harmonize his or her professional and personal life is not only possible, but profitable for every company. Hence the importance of innovating through comprehensive strategies that consider factors such as people's life stages, the richness that lies in diversity, the knowledge of their professional strengths and even the cultural values of each country.
In my professional career, I have tried to keep these elements in mind when creating internal work environments and policies that channel the talent of our team of collaborators to make a positive difference in the world.
Today I am happy to know that more and more companies in Latin America are making an effort to recognize the value and hard work of the people who make up their teams. However, the road continues to show clear opportunities towards a future that allows for the development of new generations. Our goal must be to build a community of global professionals based on respect, equity and the recognition that caring for human talent is the most important thing for any company.
Caryn G. Davis,
Senior Vice President of Human Resources for Coca-Cola Latin America
LinkedIn: Caryn Davis
The opinions expressed are the responsibility of the authors and are absolutely independent of the position and editorial line of the company. Opinion 51.
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