Four ways “returnships” can boost a company’s workforce talent pool

The pandemic led to more people taking a break from the workforce. Returnships can help ease the transition back and widen the talent pool.

In brief

• More professionals are taking breaks from their careers than ever before to focus on personal commitments in the wake of the pandemic.
• Returnships allow employers to build a pipeline of highly motivated and skilled talent who are typically overlooked in the recruitment process.
• Companies with returnships send a clear message about their commitment to diversity, flexibility and investing in people.

Companies that aim to attract diverse professionals will find among this hidden talent pool a large number of highly qualified, mid-career women. The nearly 1.8 million women who left the workforce during the pandemic, added to the existing pool of women who took a career break for childcare or other personal reasons. Most will be looking to return to the workforce, many with highly specialized backgrounds in finance, technology, strategy and other sought-after fields. Through returnships, organizations can onboard high-caliber talent from a range of diverse backgrounds and experiences, and they’re ready to make an impact.

2. Build and enhance a culture of curiosity 

A central feature of return-to-work programs is structured learning to reskill and upskill returning professionals in their area of focus. Recognizing that returners bring a wealth of prior knowledge, returnships seek to build on this foundation and fill in any gaps, particularly in fields that utilize rapidly evolving technology and innovation. Program cohorts engage in a culture of continuous development and apply these insights to relevant projects, allowing for rapid feedback and growth. 

Companies that already offer structured reskilling and upskilling experiences to current employees may find that returnships extend their existing culture of curiosity. Employees are regularly required to learn new skills on the job, and upskilling programs support current workers in increasing their impact and prepare them for new responsibilities and promotions. For companies without existing learning programs, returnships offer a starting place to pilot formal skill-building experiences that benefit all workers. 

Managers, mentors and program leads will further grow from their engagement with returners, enhancing their ability to identify and cultivate mid-career talent, provide on-the-job feedback, and structure impactful projects and skill-building experiences. Breaking from traditional talent acquisition methods, returnships prompt employers to rethink their talent practices and consider other applications for the returnship model.

3. Promote a people-oriented culture

Returnships don’t simply allow some candidates with career gaps — they require that applicants have an extended break from work. This sends a clear message to all employees — past, present and future — that you value and celebrate workers’ personal and professional experiences. 

Returners seek out companies that demonstrate these values through flexible and inclusive business practices that support a healthy integration of work and home. Recent surveys indicate a growing demand from all workers for benefits such as flexible schedules, remote work options and generous paid family leave.[⁵] Organizations that support their employees in managing personal commitments while achieving professional goals will find they are well equipped to attract and retain returners and current workers alike. 

With years of professional experience and a career break behind them, returners are looking to bring their true selves to work. Returners add significant value to existing employee resource groups and leadership teams, bringing diverse backgrounds, experiences and perspectives. The cohort model promotes teamwork and collaboration and supports returners to foster positive professional relationships. Returners bring these positive experiences into their full-time roles, along with their enthusiasm to enrich a people-centered workplace culture.

4. Invest in your company’s future

Companies can expect to feel pandemic-driven impacts in the labor market for years to come. While crises bring uncertainty, organizations can predict that as more professionals consider career breaks, there will be huge swaths of experienced professionals looking to return to the workforce. Companies that invest in return-to-work programs now can be prepared to recruit a growing and increasingly sought-after candidate pool and sustain their long-term talent pipeline.