With concerns about diversity and the skills drain, many employers are beginning to offer “women returner programmes”. But what will persuade women to return to work after a career break? This research explores the careers of women returners and what they want from future employers.
Getting back into work after a career break can feel a bit daunting. In aid of understanding what women returners want, we surveyed over a thousand potential “women returners” who had taken a career break of a year or more, and were seeking flexible work. We found that while there is a high demand for “women returner programmes” among those who have taken a long career break, the overwhelming majority are looking to return to part-time or flexible work.
The context
Of the women we surveyed:
What do women returners want?
Of the women we surveyed:
As there is little interest in returning to full-time work, employers should open up to flexible hiring, so they can offer appropriate flexible working arrangements. More specifically, employers should consider whether a 4 day working week can be accommodated, as this is the most preferred working pattern.
Published October 2015
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