Solo mother + work is a necessary account
It’s impossible to tell the story of Scooto without telling the stories of the Scooteiras; in fact, they intertwine and shape this company that has gradually transformed the market. The following text is part of a series of articles that we are launching today here on the Blog. We’re going to share some of the many incredible stories that make up Scooto.
Motherhood is still not seen as a job, especially when it comes to the job market. A mother is required to look after her children (future workers to keep the economy going), but it is forgotten that this also requires financial autonomy. This is an account that never closes. And the story of Deise, our Scooterist, explains this equation best.
After her studio was robbed during the pandemic, she found herself without a livelihood and without hope. She was fired as soon as she became pregnant, not by coincidence. This could be the introduction to the story of many women in Brazil, but it’s part of the trajectory of Scooteira Deise Faria, a 42-year-old Human Resources manager who became Guilherme’s mother nine years ago.
When Deise was sacked while still pregnant, there were no public measures to ensure the employment of women in this condition. Today, even with some timid guarantees, unemployment among women after becoming mothers is still a reality. According to a recent study by the Getúlio Vargas Foundation, after 24 months, almost half of the women who take maternity leave are out of the job market, a pattern that continues even 47 months after their leave. The majority of women who leave the job market do so without just cause and at the initiative of their employer. This exemplifies how women mothers are still disposable to the labor market.
But in the middle of Deise’s path was Scooto. Even though she was qualified, she felt weakened and disbelieved in her professional future. Affected by the pandemic, she had to resume production of handbags and accessories at Dê Faria, her entrepreneurial venture. But her work was interrupted after all her equipment and materials were stolen from her atelier. That’s when she providentially met Scooto and a phone call one Saturday changed her reality ever since. “Does this company really exist?” Deise wondered throughout the hiring process. Working six hours a day, from home, close to her son; the offer seemed too good to be true.
Guilherme’s mother arrived to join the SDR, Scooto’s lead qualification department. It didn’t take long for Deise to make a name for herself, and within 40 days she was already training new colleagues.
Deise is a solo mother, and today she celebrates being able to take an active part in her son’s routine. The native of Rio Grande do Sul, who was refused medical certificates by her former company, now takes Guilherme to and from soccer classes. A very different reality from the one she experienced in one of her jobs. Deise recalls that she once heard from her manager when she was explaining her absence due to her son’s health: “I don’t care what happens to you from this door out”.
The Scooteira highlights the important role that the challenge at Scooto played in her life. After repeated difficulties, Deise says she no longer believed in her professional potential, even though she had been through so many experiences, including leadership positions. “Today, I feel powerful again. I’ve regained my self-confidence,” she says.