Seeking Insights on How Maternity Benefits Influence Job Satisfaction – Can You Help?

I am a student of MBA in Human Resources at the University Business School, Punjab University, Chandigarh. I am currently working on a research project that studies "The Impact of Maternity Benefits on Job Satisfaction" — whether it is progressive or regressive. As a part of the research, I am keen on studying the maternity policies of various companies as it would greatly help in defining my variables and also assist me in identifying the areas where policies need improvement.

I have been unable to find much assistance on the Internet, and I am hoping that this platform could provide me with some leads. Can you offer any ideas or suggestions that may be helpful?

Thanks in advance.

Understanding Maternity Benefits and Recent Amendments

You need to study the law on the subject of Maternity Benefits and the recent amendments in 2017, which increased the maternity leave period to 26 weeks. Additionally, consider court cases and decisions on the subject.

By and large, major companies have followed the law as there is no real option to escape it. What is the cost impact on companies due to leave and cash benefits extended, vis-a-vis productivity and disruption, to some extent, if an employee is out for a long period?

Leave Policy and Legal Compliance

The leave policy of companies would be guided by the law on the subject and cannot vary much. Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) and Central/State governments have placed their employee leave rules on their websites, which could be of help. Wherever you are located, plan visits to nearby companies and seek their assistance for views, impact, etc.

Understanding the Maternity Benefit Act and Its Implications

You need to study the provisions of the Maternity Benefit Act/Rules and its recent amendments. The Act has brought about uniformity in the quantum (26 weeks), eligibility, and procedure in its application. The provisions as they stand now can be regarded as liberal to women employees, and I do not believe any organizations have bettered it.

By referring to these provisions, you will get ideas on the leads on some crucial aspects of your study as follows:

1. Cost of the Maternity Benefit - monetary payments during ML, any temporary recruitment if any, etc.
2. Workload sharing by others.
3. Use of the work-from-home concept.
4. Measurement of satisfaction by evolving some index.
5. Adequacy or inadequacy of Maternity Benefit.
6. Effectiveness of the procedures.
7. Impact on Employee Relations/Employee Engagement.

There could be some more, but what came to my mind first have been put across.

Regards,
Vinayak Nagarkar
HR Consultant