Women Wanted!

That seems to be the message corporate America is sending, at least at the managerial and executive levels.

A recent AP article shines a light on the efforts companies are making to retain executives, particularly women, who take time off for family reasons. Programs vary from scaling work levels up or down based on home-life needs to mentoring employees on extended leave and inviting them to come back for networking events.

Employee turnover is one of the most expensive budget items for any business. The higher up the chain of command the employee is, the more expensive they are to replace. Some of the programs described in the article sounded pretty expensive to me; I can only imagine how costly turnover is if these programs are the money-saving alternative.

Which is not to say I'm not glad to see it. I just wish it extended down the career ladder, too. In the meantime I think I'll keep working for myself. That way I know the boss will approve my time off ;-)