Blueprint For Women's Success

Over the last decade, a number of successful organisations across sectors have introduced ‘return to work’ after career breaks. Many of these organisations have a structured ‘returnship’ programme which makes it relatively easier for women to ease back into the workplace owing to the variety of support mechanisms. This has also become an important component under the initiatives in the diversity, equity & inclusion space. The opportunities have further amplified post the flexibility in working presented post Covid. ‘Work from home’, ‘hybrid working’ and ‘work from anywhere’ options have become a true blessing for those contemplating to make a re-entry into the workforce.

Adequate planning and some effective strategies are essential to make this a success and also sustainable. Below are certain aspects to be prioritised:

Consensus and sensitivity

It becomes imperative to assess business appetite and also sensitise the senior management in order to break through the inherent conscious/un-conscious bias that might exist in the minds of the hiring managers. This will also pave the way to decide the number of roles that can be sourced through this channel. There are very targeted sensitisation programmes that are now run by various organisations to ensure that the hiring managers are making very conscious choices.

Hiring approach

Based on the above, the hiring plan can be designed and critical decisions on sourcing through internal and external mediums can be decided. Leveraging LinkedIn, other social media platforms, vendors specialising in this segment, internal referrals have all proved to be excellent sources over the last decade.

On-boarding

This is probably one area where most organisations fail and hence the need for specific focus here. A smooth on-boarding plan to facilitate the transition back to corporate life is super critical. This will also need to include requisite upskilling or reskilling programmes depending on the roles, a buddy system to hand hold the

returning women through the initial phase is all non-negotiable if this initiative needs to sustain. Else it would only be a ‘tick in the box’ exercise.

Mentorship programmes

Assigning senior mentors to the returning women can also be a great way to create a support network for them as they settle in. Creating the right networks within the organisation will help resolve most challenges before they grow out of proportion.