By Patsy Kam The Star, August 7 2008

THEY say if the woman of the house is happy, then so is everyone else. The same rules probably apply to the workplace.

This key idea has emerged at the Women’s Summit over the past five years. Speakers from international businesses in Malaysia and around the world have vouched for the value of gender, and inclusiveness policies to retain the best talent and gain a competitive advantage.

The issue of work-life balance for both men and women cannot be underplayed as there’s a real need for provisions that enable them to be actively involved as parents while remaining committed and effective workers.

The Sixth Women’s Summit will be held at the Sime Darby Convention Centre in Kuala Lumpur on Aug 21, with the theme Teaming Up to Make a Difference.

Speakers with firsthand experience at being “change-makers” will provide their views on how working together can bring about positive changes at the workplace and in the larger community.

There will also be a summit roundtable session to discuss the trends and challenges at the workplace today, adjustments that can be made to enhance productivity as well as employee satisfaction, and how to stay competitive.

Learning Labs will cover topics that include financial management and taking on the challenges of leadership.

The summit is targeted at NGOs, those involved in human resource, young entrepreneurs, or anyone interested in workplace issues.

For details, call the Women’s Summit secretariat (03-7954 7030) or register online at thewomenssummit.org.