NEWSROOM

Access to a talented workforce has been positioned as one of the most important agenda items for many companies from different sectors globally since the beginning of the pandemic. On the other hand, the data of the Turkish Statistical Institute (TUIK) show that the employment rate of women in 2021 is less than half of that of men. When considered from this perspective, corporate companies have important responsibilities regarding gender equality, which is the key to strengthening women's participation in business life and their representation at all levels, in order to meet the need for skilled workforce.

*** This release is originally published in Turkish.
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ISTANBUL (TR) - The effects of the workforce change caused by the pandemic on a global scale continue today. Especially in the changing new world order, the need for talented human resources is increasing day by day. Some opinions argue that this situation can have a positive effect on gender inequality in the business world, and the biggest responsibility in this regard falls on corporate companies. Didem Kulğı Karakaya, Head of Sales & Business Development Group and Member of the Executive Board of Wellpoint Group of Companies, which provides holistic services in the field of health, said, “According to the data of the International Labor Organization, female employment, which was 45.2% globally in 2019, increased to 43% in 2022. With a value of .8, it remains below the pre-pandemic level. While the report of the Civil Society Development Center revealed that 7 out of 10 women experienced economic problems in the pandemic in Turkey, ReliefWeb's report supported by the United Nations Women's Unit stated that in this period, 18.8% of women and 14.2% of men did their job. points out that he lost. These data, which provide clues about the impact of gender inequality on the workforce, can be reversible and encourage corporate companies to strengthen women's representation in the business world. As Wellpoint, which has approximately 650 employees, we attach great importance to women's participation in employment and greater representation in the workplace, being aware of the duties of corporate companies in the post-pandemic women's return to the workforce.” evaluated as.

Equal work, equal pay, equal opportunities

Didem Kulğı Karakaya pointed out that women aged 15 and over have a rate of 26.3% among those employed in our country in the Women with Statistics 2021 data published by the Turkish Statistical Institute at the beginning of March. shows less. The report also states that the rate of women in managerial positions in our country is 19.3%. In fact, while one out of every four employees is a woman on a ground where the ratio of men is 74%, it is known that only one out of every five managers is a woman at the managerial level. As the Wellpoint Group of Companies, which believes in improvement for good in every aspect of life, we are aware of the responsibility of corporate companies to include women in the workforce and to offer them a wider field of representation at all levels. In this context, we give priority to women in cases where their competencies are equal, in order to equalize our male-female ratio in recruitment. On the other hand, we adopt the equal work, equal pay policy, and apply what our gender equality principle requires in the fringe benefits we offer. As Wellpoint, we believe that this is the time to raise the issues of female representation and gender equality in the workplace, where a globally competent workforce is more important than ever.” evaluated with his words.

“In 2022, we will focus on increasing the number of female leaders in management levels”

Wellpoint Sales & Business Development Group President and Member of the Executive Board Didem Kulğı Karakaya presented the practices of Wellpoint separately for working mothers and women employees at the event organized by Women in Sales Network, a community network dedicated to women working in the sales world, on March 10. He summarized his goals for the year with the following words: “As part of our management trainee (MT) programs targeting only female employees, we made our female MT employees, whom we recruited last year, a part of the Wellpoint team. On the other hand, in order for our female employees to adapt more easily after giving birth, we contact them on behalf of the return plan 1 month before their return, and we draw a healthy working route by making our business plans. As of 2022, when we have made a major transformation, we grant all our employees the right to take leave on their children's birthdays, in addition to the leave we give on their own birthdays. Again, as part of this transformation, we have switched to the mentoring system to increase the number of female leaders in management, and for this purpose, we will launch a special leadership and management skills program for our female employees in April. All of this proves that greater representation of women in the workplace is an important agenda item for the Wellpoint Group of Companies.”