There’s something about women that enables them to take on the challenge of having a career and family life at the same time. Women—especially mom leaders who play important roles in the companies they work for—possess an inner strength and the sheer determination to be happy and successful both at work and at home.
While all women are definitely valid, professionals who are also moms certainly have a more challenging time, as they need to juggle homemaking and having an active career. These mom leaders thrive because of their solid support system, such as the one they get from working at a supportive organization like EastWest.
To illustrate their success, here’s a peek at how three of EastWest’s mom leaders have managed to both climb the corporate ladder and raise a happy family.
Jackie S. Fernandez, EastWest President
Jackie, who has been married for 35 years with four children and three grandchildren, is grateful that her bosses over the years have allowed her to attend her children’s school activities. She stressed that working for a company like EastWest that puts a premium on the family is also a big help to working moms.
“I had very understanding bosses who would allow me to skip work to attend to my children’s needs at school. I guess spending quality time with my husband and kids and instilling the right values also helped along the way,” she said.
When asked if there was a time that she had to choose between her family and her career, Jackie said she was never caught in such a situation because she was able to monitor the progress of her children while keeping abreast of work and making a mark in the bank.
“Always remember that your children will grow up, and if keeping your career will have a positive effect on your family, you have to do a good balancing job between your family and career,” Jackie said.
Ivy B. Uy, SVP and Head Regional Branch Banking
Just like any working executive, Ivy wanted to achieve a greater balance between her work and personal life, so that the office doesn’t take up most of her time. However, the term work-life balance can be misleading because her career and personal life do not always exist in separate spheres.
“For me, work is simply one aspect of our lives. It’s important and needs to be considered alongside other important concerns, such as our home and family lives. We do not have to choose one over the other to be happy and fulfilled, and we should be able to integrate our personal time and work. This will help us manage our time better,” she related.
Establishing boundaries is a crucial part of time management, and communicating these boundaries is equally important.
“It may sound easy, only because I have a very good support system both from my family at home and my work family. It is also easier to manage my time now as both of my children are grown up and have their own careers as well,” Ivy added.
Mia P. Tamayo, SVP and Head, Credit Cards
Mia is happy with having four daughters, teaching them to be independent and to go for what they want, all without compromising their studies.
She happily shared that she managed to attend all her daughters’ significant school events without diminishing her work output. “Family will always be a priority,” she said, citing that it truly helped that she also has a husband who supported her career.
Out of her four children, Mia said it is her youngest daughter who took up most of her time as she has Down Syndrome and is hearing impaired, leaving her unable to communicate.
“Down Syndrome babies are generally easy to deal with. It took extra effort because she could not hear, but healthwise she is good and well-loved by her family. It is truly a blessing because she will always be with me,” Mia said.
“What really worked for me is that I loved what I was doing. It’s really about enjoying your work and the people you work with so that it does not feel like work. It is easier said than done but you have to balance. The family must always come first,” she said.
These three exceptional moms of EastWest have set the bar for all women looking to balance their career and family lives. With a supportive network and a work environment that values family, they have successfully navigated both work and home. They have set the standards for future mom leaders and have paved the way for a more inclusive and supportive workplace culture.