Bouncing back to work – how we can support women re-enter the workforce

Alongside the practical challenges women face when returning to work - the high cost of childcare, the gender pay gap, the negative effects of bias - there are more pervasive psychological barriers to contend with too.??

Returning to work after a career break can often mean significant planning, responsibility juggling and sacrifice. And that’s before we even come to considering what might be required of us in terms of reskilling to adjust to the modern workplace, where technological advancement gallops on at breakneck speed.?

The PwC recently found that a woman entering the workforce at 18 would not see equal pay in her lifetime on the current trajectory. What’s more, the UK is slipping down the league table of gender parity, with the pay gap widening four times faster than in other countries. This is due primarily to a lack of affordable childcare, or what is sometimes called ‘the motherhood penalty’. In fact, childcare costs account for a third of household income for the average UK family. A worrying statistic, especially in the face of the cost-of-living crisis. The recent budget goes some way to addressing early-years childcare, but it is clear more needs to be done to support working women. 90% believe additional support is needed, and two thirds of women cite caring responsibilities as the reason for lack of career progression.??

This is why we created AllBright Alliance, AllBright Alliance exists to make work work for women at all stages of their careers, we know that if women thrive, we all thrive. It also means companies can capitalise on the benefits of a happy and gender diverse workforce through a data-driven framework. The Alliance’s Future of Work for Women Report really brought home the extra burden on women – showing us that 83% of women take on unpaid and unrecognised responsibilities at work, with stress, burnout and work/life balance cited as the biggest challenges they face.?

These barriers get in our way on a practical level, of course. But they also add height to the psychological leap it takes to get back to work after time away. Whilst AllBright Alliance works with businesses to mitigate these barriers on the ground, what women need to make this leap is rooted in self-esteem. As with so many things in life, confidence is key. One 2021 report found that time away from work hit women’s confidence almost twice as hard as men’s.??

That’s why AllBright’s Reignite programme, in partnership with Google, centres that concept. Alongside offering opportunities for women to gain workplace-ready digital skills, Reignite is about empowering women with the most important piece of the puzzle – the confidence to stride back into work, advocate for themselves, and thrive.??

It’s not just new mothers that face barriers when returning to work. Since the pandemic, those aged fifty and over have become increasingly economically inactive. Naturally for some, the opportunity to take early retirement is positive. But there are thousands of women out there with so much more to give if they could only find the drive and confidence to upskill and get back out there. For a lot of women in this demographic, digital advancement can be alienating and make them feel they don’t have a place in the modern economy. At AllBright, we know this couldn’t be further from the truth. We are committed to empowering women to engage with new tech and turn it to their advantage.?

When facing the prospect of the gender pay gap persisting for at least another fifty years as it stands, another key skill we must champion is advocating for oneself. 1 in 5 women experience feelings of inadequacy which impacts their likelihood of negotiating accurate compensation. It’s so important that women feel comfortable asking for what they need and deserve. Whether requesting flexible working hours or negotiating a pay rise, it’s depressingly common for women to put-up and shut-up for fear of being discriminated against. All this leads to, unfortunately, is a dissatisfied workforce and a continuous increase in women leaving work altogether.???

There are countless reasons for a career break, and just as many reasons to return to work. Sometimes all we need is to be reminded of our worth and rediscover how to celebrate our unique skills. ?

The Reignite programme combines 谷歌 's Ecommerce and Digital Marketing certificate with AllBright's Digital Membership to bring women returning to the workplace a whole host of resources and opportunities. It offers six months of group coaching and support to help women step back confidently into the world of work, surrounded by a cohort of other brilliant women.

You can find out more here.?www.allbrightcollective.com