'Support from team members is critical when you are re-integrating into the workforce'

Priya Bellubbi, our Head of Finance for Marketing is a talented professional, a doting mother and a multi-tasking champion. She has worked with companies across industries and countries on roles ranging from business finance to sales operations and strategy.

When she moved back to India, she left a lucrative job in the US to support her husband’s entrepreneurial aspirations and be closer to family. But, as fate would have it, she soon landed a great job in the financial software services industry and got an opportunity to work in Singapore. Her husband and family took up the task of taking care of her daughter to make it possible for her to chase her dreams.

Talking about the support she’s received at work and at home, she has always felt that when women take a break from work, the biggest challenge they face after rejoining is coming back to pace and finding the right work-life balance. "Support from the company and team members in such times is critical in helping them re-integrate into the workforce. Managers can ease the back-to-work transition by providing timing flexibility, work load sharing and work-from-home facilities," she says.

Furthermore, she feels that support is a two way street. "While expecting support and flexibility, employees should also be willing to support their manager and team members, going beyond their call of duty and building trust in their abilities, she adds.

“Get all the support you need and don’t feel guilty about not being able to strike the perfect balance between your personal and professional responsibilities”, says Priya, adding that women to prioritize, never look back and make peace with the fact that they can’t always keep everybody happy. “Prioritize and understand that your priorities will keep shifting from time to time. Before taking any decision, make a pros and cons list and trust yourself to make the right decision. Once you take the decision, move on and don’t spend time on ‘what ifs’,” she explains.

Priya has now been a part of Amazon India for over a year and enjoys the challenges and opportunities that every day here brings. "The open culture, the diversity, the customer obsession and the peculiar culture ensure that I get to learn something new everyday," she says.