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Break the Bias with Roly Samaiyar
Break the Bias with Roly Samaiyar

March 7, 2022

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After a successful 12 years in the corporate world, a career break was never on the cards for Roly Samaiyar. Post her maternity break, when it was time to return to work, she realized it was going to be an uphill task.

But all that changed once she got an opportunity to restart her career with WTW after a three-year break.

Hear on as Roly shares her journey:

  1. Say hello to <Roly Samaiyar>!  

I am an extremely passionate individual with 15 years of experience in operations. I live in this beautiful city of Mumbai with my mother, my seven-year-old daughter, and my husband.

  1. What were your reasons for going on a break?

I was leading operations for a key account at a global insurance broking organization. I was proud of what I had accomplished in the 12 years of my career with experience in team management and had upskilled myself with three professional certifications.

Having worked passionately over the years without any break, I was very committed to continuing to work even after having a baby. However, when I had my baby, I was gripped by a dilemma that most professional women go through after the birth of their child – should I stay home to take care of my newborn exclusively, or should I resume work?

Also, my personal circumstances, shift hours at work, and the long commute did not make it easy, and I decided to take a break.

  1. Tell us about how you restarted your career and what motivated you?

Once my daughter was three years old, I realized that I wanted to be independent and pursue a successful career as before. I saw several working mothers around me who continued to work despite the limited support at home. That motivated me to think - if other women can, why can't I? Also, the thought of providing better for our daughter drove me.

At the same time, I learned about the Career 2.0 drive at WTW and just knew that this was my perfect opportunity to restart my career. Fortunately, my mother was very supportive, and hence with her support, I planned a schedule and decided to go ahead.

  1. Did you face any bias when you got back to work and how did you #Breakthebias?

No, fortunately for me, I did not face any bias. I joined WTW through the Career 2.0 program, which encourages women to restart their careers after a break.

When I came for the interview, I was very apprehensive, but the entire interview process was smooth. My panel focused on my skills and capabilities and how well I would fit into the WTW culture and not on why I had taken a career break. In the end, when I walked out, I didn’t feel judged but left with a renewed sense of confidence. This in itself is breaking bias, isn't it?

When I joined WTW I was surprised and overwhelmed by the support extended by the teams and the understanding built in the system for women like me, who are resuming after a career break.

  1. During your time away how did you keep yourself updated with the latest skills and knowledge?

To be honest, it was difficult. I was so overwhelmed with the responsibilities of a mother which was a full-time job, that I didn’t invest in learning any extra skills, other than the skills motherhood imbibed in me like resilience, patience, and the drive to make things possible.

Other than that, I also kept myself updated on current affairs and the latest developments in the external world.

  1. Do you credit anyone for support on your restart journey?

Along with the several women who #breakthebias every day and do a fantastic job of balancing home and work, I give immense credit to my mother and my line manager for being my support system when I resumed my career.

They understood every situation that I was in, helped me ease into my role, and had my back to ensure I don’t give up.

  1. How has the restart helped you?

I am a more confident individual at work as well as outside. Being a working mother makes me more independent and mentally strong.

  1. Advice you want to give out to fellow restarters

Give yourself another chance and wipe off all your fear and apprehension. And as they say, fortune favours the brave once you gather the courage to explore your dreams, you will realize that there will be more support than hurdles coming your way to help you pursue your goal.

How did you #BreakTheBias and restart your career? We are interested in diverse stories of your challenges, your highs, your lows. Please write in with your story to womenleadingchange@nasscom.in and get a chance to feature on the NASSCOM handle.

 

Author

roly

After a successful 12 years in the corporate world, a career break was never on the cards for Roly Samaiyar. Post her maternity break, when it was time to return to work, she realized it was going to be an uphill task.But all that changed once she got an opportunity to restart her career with WTW after a three-year break.


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