While we like to think of today’s workplace as being fair and equitable for all, statistics like the one that shows 70% of working women are afraid to take a career break reveal just how much farther we have to go.
Cielo’s Andrea Jones tackles this topic in London’s City A.M., writing an article that acknowledges many of the challenges women face over issues like trying to return to the workforce after maternity leave. Too often they are “tarred with the ‘homemaker’ stereotype, and assumed to be unambitious and inflexible,” Jones writes. This helps contribute to the “stigma of part-time working,” which organizations should commit to ending by providing more flexibility to allow for greater work-life balance.
From the article:
“Creating a supportive recruitment process for candidates returning to work will help prevent women from removing themselves from the process due to a lack of confidence. When companies are advertising, screening, and managing the recruitment process for returner candidates, a bespoke approach should be created so that it highlights the candidate’s strengths and enables them to show potential.
“The desire among women on career breaks to return to work presents an opportunity for businesses with the foresight to reconnect with them.
“We live in a progressive time, and businesses should therefore be thinking in more progressive ways, putting aside their hesitancy toward this persistently underestimated yet experienced and skilled talent pool.”
Welcoming women back as career returners not only makes the world a fairer place, it’s also good for business, as organizations will be getting seasoned, talented employees ready to excel.
Visit City A.M. to read, “Lower the barrier for women returning to work.”
