What do women think about the issue of reconciling work and family life in leading positions at the Faculty of Science, Masaryk University?
We should offer young parents a range of opportunities, respect their decisions and support them in their choices.
prof. RNDr. Jana Klánová, Ph.D.
Director of the RECETOX centre
RECETOX
You can read the whole interview here.
Photo: Martin Kopáček
Banner photo: RECETOX
The academic world is not an ideal environment for working in a managerial position or conducting high-quality research and, at the same time, leading a fully-fledged family or personal life. Prioritisation is a key prerequisite for creating a balance that is sustainable in the long-run. Priorities are arranged differently for each employee. I see my role as a leader mainly in trying to find a compromise that will suit employees but, at the same time, will not affect work performance or disrupt the workplace. Home office working or remote access currently in force are two of possible strategies. In addition, various communication channels help to maintain contacts and links for solving tasks without the need to physically meet or share the workplace. In the past, the ability to take my family with me on long-term work-stays abroad also helped me a lot.
doc. RNDr. Petra Urbanová, Ph.D.
Director of the Department of Anthropology
Department of Anthropology
You can read the whole interview here.
Photo: Oliver Staša
I think having a woman in a leadership position can be an advantage in several ways. For example, she is likely to make a greater effort to make it easier for other women scientists to return to work after parental leave. I know that the Director of RECETOX, Prof. Jana Klánová, allows women to work part-time after parental leave. I think that many women want to start working as soon as possible after maternity leave, perhaps on a part-time basis, but they are not allowed to do so. What I do know from colleagues that lead other research groups is that employing a woman after she has become a parent can be mutually beneficial. They say that such women never leave unfinished work, that they can organise their time precisely and that they are good at multi-tasking, which can also be a benefit.
The possibility of working from home, which Enantis allows, makes it a lot easier for my colleagues with very young children to cope with both. Just saving the hour or two that people normally spend getting to work is a big time-saver. Also, having the possibility of flexible working hours, and especially a kindergarten, also helps a lot. It is great that the Faculty of Science MU and the various faculties on the Bohunice campus manage to have a kindergarten available not far from the place of employment.
doc. Mgr. Radka Chaloupková, Ph.D.
Head of Research at the spin-off company Enantis
Associate Professor, Department of Experimental Biology
You can read the whole interview here.
Photo: Helena Brunnerová
