Second career programs play a pivotal role in improving gender diversity in organizations. Here are 4 essential components for an ideal second career program for women.
Shibani Kamalakar (name changed) has been on a career break for the last five years. However, when she went on a break, she decided to resume work soon after her daughter began school. The pandemic extended her career break by two years but the urge to rejoin remains. But she is fraught with worries—what will she do about the gap? And, where are the opportunities?
Shibani is among the millions of women who take career breaks owing to marriage, maternity, and mobility.
In India, women’s workforce participation stands at around 25%. Some contributing factors to the lopsided workforce are maternity breaks alongside factors like caregiving for family, accompanying spouses on transfers, etc. A second career program is an equitable opportunity for women who have been on breaks for any of the above reasons.
Avtar’s flagship Second Career Program has helped hundreds of companies in India craft their programs around their needs.
The Best Companies for Women in India 2021, an annual gender analytics exercise conducted by Avtar and Seramount, found out that 71% of companies in the top 100 BCWI list had second career programs
Here are 4 essential components of a successful second-career program.
Flexibility: This is an important part of returnship programs, considering that the women, who are returning, are going to face emotions like guilt, and questions related to work-life balance. Flexibility helps them to navigate these factors.
Career advancement opportunities: It is not just necessary to identify roles for second career hiring but also equally important to see how the roles have scope for growth. Women making comebacks are often hungry for challenges, especially after a long gap.
Train organization culture: For example, team meetings can be challenging for the woman who is possibly working from home on some days. Sensitizing teams and leaders to be accommodating and inclusive is essential to ensure that the careers of these women sustain with support and opportunities to thrive and enable them to prove their mettle.
Tailor-made onboarding program: A well-thought onboarding program factoring in their strengths and weaknesses apart from an insight into what their career path can look like, can seal the deal. Such clarity can make them put their best foot forward with confidence.
Join this insightful webinar, the second in the series, Second Career Programs- Stepping Stone to Gender Inclusion, by Avtar on September 14, 2022, a 4.30 pm. Watch leaders discuss the scope and possibility within the SCP framework.
