To promote gender diversity across all management levels, top telecom operator Bharti Airtel has increased maternity leave for its women employees to 22 weeks from 12 weeks.

This is in addition to flexible work options for working mothers to ensure a smooth transition to full working hours, the company said in a statement today.

The company's office in Gurgaon also provides modern-day care facilities for children.

Airtel said the objective of the policy is to provide adequate support to employees to balance their role as parents with professional commitments at work.

The revised policy reiterates its commitment to providing the same role or an equivalent role to the employee on return after 22 weeks. "The rating of the employee for the assessment year will be based on the employee's performance and contribution during the period she was working," it said.

Source: The Economic Times