Returnship initiatives for women in Indian industries

There was a time when women were hardly a part of the workforce. Social norms, limited opportunities, familial duties and workplace disparities kept many talented women out of the professional working world. However, the picture today is very different. Industries and governments across the globe are pushing for more gender equality and competing to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 5 to empower women and girls.

Report by CII

Recognising India’s commitment in encouraging the role of women in global development and institutionalisation of W20, CII has tried to address the critical challenge of women returning to work after a career break in their recent report. The report, From Hiatus to Harmony: Returnship initiatives for women in Indian industries explores the barriers women face when returning to work and the effectiveness of different returnship programs.

Entry challenges in returning to work

Women face multiple challenges when they return to work after a break, the biggest being that of reskilling. They have to come at par with current work requirements and industry trends to be employable and at par with their male or female counterparts. Managing family responsibilities along with workplace biases, unfair hiring processes and below par compensation are also some of the challenges they face.

Returnship programs in India 

Returnship programs are in a nascent stage in India, but are slowly gaining traction. This positive initiative helps reduce talent leak and develop strong women leadership pipelines. These programs are designed to incorporate the challenges women face and incorporate flexibility, provision of upskilling opportunities, support groups to aid transition and mentorship programs. 

In India, no specific government policies exist to regulate or support career breaks, making return-to-work programs more corporate driven. Despite this gap, various sectors like technology, healthcare, retail and business operations have developed their returnship programs. Across all sectors, there is growing emphasis on hybrid and remote work with MNCs also pioneering diversity and inclusion initiatives.

Lack of awareness of such programs is another structural barrier that women face in India. According to te report corporate led returnships are more predominant in urban areas like Benegluru, Pune, Gurugram and Hyderabad, leaving rural and semi-urban women with scant options. This necessitate policy intervention that is scalable and inclusive, structured industry-wide framework and cultural shift in how career breaks are perceived.

 Way Forward

Female Work Participation Rate (WPR) has doubled from 22% in 2017-18 to 40.3% in 2023-24, but the challenges still loom large. Women find it difficulty to re-enter the workforce after career breaks due to skill gaps, work biases and professional responsibilities, despite their immense potential. Well structured returnship initiatives can help achieve 70% success rate, impacting the inclusivity of industries. At an economic level, they create GDP increment, diversification of workforce and enhance organisational productivity. Returnship programs are social initiatives by ambition as they help legitimise career break, challenge gender stereotype and foster work-life balance.

Companies should work to incorporate flexible work policies, mentorship, skill-building and leadership building in ensuring a smooth transition back into the workforce. Instilling such practices will help India achieve a higher female WPR and increase its GDP, bringing it at par with developed economies and becoming a world leader in all aspects.