HK's career moms balance career and family pressures

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HK's career moms balance career and family pressures

By CCTV correspondent Cathy Yang (CNTV) 09:02, November 07, 2013

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Hong Kong's number of career moms seeking work-life balance is growing, but there are few to be found in the most senior ranks. Cathy Yang in Hong Kong looks into why, and what it may take to break the trend.

She’s boss at work, and mom at home. Emma Sherrard Matthew is Global C-E-O at Quintessentially, the luxury lifestyle and concierge services firm, overseeing more than 60 offices from the headquarters in Hong Kong.

Emma gave birth earlier this year to her first baby, Willa, and has since returned to work. How she does it all isn’t the question, but how she gets everyone involved to help her out.

"I have only been back now for a few weeks but as I said to my husband and my daughter they are my priority but I love what I do. I work with outstanding, incredible talent so for me, that’s always going to encourage me to want to go back into the workforce as well." Emma said.

Emma is one of the growing number of women in Hong Kong who have achieved senior positions and opted to carry on with it even after childbirth, helping create gender diversity in the city’s male-dominated corporate work place.

Women in Hong Kong now represent more than 50 percent of graduates from universities, and in many professions, they make up 50 percent or more of the graduate intake.

But these figures come down in more senior organisational ranks, as women either fail to get promoted into senior positions, or decide altogether to quit their jobs, reveals Ernst & Young’s Anne-Marie Balfe.

"Some of our women are dropping out because they have family pressures, some want to pursue you know whether it’s more of a work-life balance or want to pursue other careers."

Reporter: "While there are more companies in Hong Kong committed to improving women’s status, the task of achieving gender balance at the work place still has a ways go. And it will depend largely on the women themselves, on their commitment to helping other women as well as engaging men to becoming part of the solution." Anne-Marie Balfe said.

"Men network extremely well internally within their organisations.. Women network quite well outside of their organizations. So for a professional women’s network within your organization, it's really beneficial to have your men included as well." Anne-Marie Balfe said.

As for Emma, it's teamwork at home taking care of Willa. While they've hired for full-time help, it's still daddy calling the shots at home when Emma's out on business.