Women who are the principal caregivers are often forced to take a career break due to personal reasons, including but not limited to pregnancy, childbirth, taking care of children or the elderly. Another glaring reason is the lack of expected career growth or development.
A recent World Bank study done in collaboration with the National Sample Survey Organisation states that 25 million Indian women quit their jobs between 2012 and 2021, of which, 68 per cent never returned to work. Data revealed by the World Bank also suggests that women make up only 23 per cent of India’s labour force in 2019, compared to 48 per cent of the global average. Another study by the Center for Talent Innovation suggests that 36 per cent of women in India take a break from work and only 58 per cent of that number are able to re-join work full-time after taking a career break.
Several researches have shown that women find it hard to return to the workforce because of multiple biases and potential employers seem cynical about their efficiency or commitment to their jobs.
To tackle this situation and bring more women into the workforce, several companies in India, have launched programmes to encourage a more inclusive work culture and help women on a break/ sabbatical return to the workforce. These programmes offer professional guidance form top brass leadership and mentors, training to enhance their skillset, and providing opportunities to absorb them back into the workforce.
Microsoft Springboard
Springboard, Microsoft India’s flagship program, is a platform where women can relaunch their careers after a break. This 16-week Internship is focused on offering them an opportunity for career exploration and on-the-job training as they transition back to the workforce. The program helps professionals get back in the business where they make a real-time impact by solving complex problems, they are paired with an experienced manager to help navigate through this new phase.
Tata SCIP (Second Careers Inspiring Possibilities)
Tata SCIP is a platform for women transitioning into a career after a break. It offers multiple career options, providing women the choice to select either part time or full-time employment.
SCIP is essentially a 'career transition management programme' that focuses on developing alternative talent pools in both traditional and non-traditional formats. The programme offers three formats — projects, consultant roles and full-time roles — and candidates are given the flexibility to apply as per their time commitments. The age limit of the programme is 50 years.
Philips Back In The Game (B.I.G.)
Philip’s launched Back in the Game with an aim to encourage women on a break due to sabbatical or maternity leave to resume their corporate career. It is a three+ months internship program where women returnees get to work on live strategic projects along with an opportunity to get a full time role based on their performance and role availability. As part of this initiative, they provide structured on boarding, focused mentoring, flexible work options and on the job learning to the candidates.
Accenture's Career Reboot For Women
With Career Reboot, Accenture offers 16-week paid returnship programme for women to restart their career and have a successful second innings at work and seamlessly integrate back into the corporate world. The program empowers professionals on a break to bridge learning gaps and harness their true potential.
IBM's Tech Re-Entry Program
IBM's Tech Re-Entry Program is for experienced professionals who took a break from the workforce and are looking to restart their careers. This paid returnship offers a unique opportunity to re-build skills through an array of well-curated learning programs, on-the-job projects, and access to the latest technologies and multi-disciplinary teams. Professionals who took as long as a 20-year break have restarted their careers through the program, and excelled in their new roles. The program offers flexibility and ease of transition from your break to getting back to the workforce. The internship experience could lead to a full-time employment at IBM after you complete the program.
Google Next Innings Program
Google’s next innings programme a six month program for women professionals who have taken a break in their career and want to come back to the workforce. Selected professionals get to work on Google core businesses while learning from leaders, experts and experiencing product development.
The program will enable professionals to explore opportunities in software engineering roles while providing them avenues for enhancing their professional repertoire through on the job work experience. On successful completion of this program, candidates are eligible to interview for a full time role at Google.