Navigating Women's Career Breaks: Insights and Strategies for Success

Women tend to take career breaks more often than men

A career break is a temporary pause in one's professional career for personal, familial, or educational reasons. Women tend to take career breaks more often than men, due to a combination of societal expectations, family responsibilities, and personal priorities such as maternity breaks, full time parenting, caregiving the sick and elderly relatives, personal and family-related health reasons or managing household duties. Additionally, women may prioritize spending time with their kids and being there for their important moments or pursuing further education, which can result in temporary interruptions in their careers. Further, unforeseen circumstances such as the global COVID-19 pandemic, layoffs, or economic crises in places like Sri Lanka can also lead to unplanned career interruptions.

Returning to work after career break; the statistics

A LinkedIn study revealed that 7% of women globally leave employment entirely within five years of childbirth, with those departing being three times more likely to return to lower-paid or lower-responsibility roles. Studies in the UK and USA suggest that 76% of women who temporarily leave their careers intend to re-enter the workforce in the future. Same study found that 93% of returnees reporting or expecting bias when re-entering the workforce, impacting their opportunities for advancement. While 33% of women who take career breaks return to the same industry, specific statistics for Sri Lanka are unavailable. However, research from IPS highlighted the limited availability of decent jobs for women in Sri Lanka, particularly outside the Western province, with only 7.7% of women engaged in formal employment compared to 8.3% of men. underscoring the urgent need to create more decent job opportunities and improve access to childcare facilities to enhance women's participation in the formal workforce in Sri Lanka.

Challenges in Women's Return to the Workforce: Internal and External Factors

When considering the challenges women encounter when re-entering the workforce after a career break, there are both internal and external factors at play. In my opinion, Internal struggle is stronger, as women may face psychological hurdles such as self-doubt and concerns about balancing family responsibilities with professional ambitions. They may also struggle with societal expectations and gender stereotypes that influence their confidence and decision-making depending on the country and its cultural considerations. Even when confident in their choice, stay-at-home mothers can feel pressure from family and colleagues, with many feeling misunderstood and undervalued.

Externally, barriers like limited support, limited access to flexible work arrangements and discriminatory hiring practices, further impede their re-entry process.

Overcoming the challenges of returning to work

Overcoming the challenge of woman returning to work after career break requires a multifaceted approach, including policy changes, cultural shifts within communities and organizations, and the provision of support systems such as quality childcare and adult care. In Sri Lanka, daycare services are primarily centered in Colombo and often quality service providers are inaccessible due to affordability issues. However, some promising initiatives, such as companies offering back-to-work opportunities for women on career breaks exceeding six months and paid upskilling programs in Colombo, provide avenues for restarting their careers.

How to successfully navigate the Career Break, My story, Hard-learned lessons

Successfully navigating a career break requires personal commitment and a dedication to continuous improvement. Reflecting on my own journey, I returned to Sri Lanka from Japan just before the onset of the Covid pandemic in Sri Lanka and subsequent economic crisis. I had yet to complete my PhD papers and thesis. The country's conditions left me with limited employment opportunities, let alone some of the opportunities were even retracted due to economic crisis, forcing me to take a career break. This period coincided with the perfect opportunity to focus on growing my family with the arrival of my second child.

I cherish the time I spent during this period, as it allowed me to be fully present for both of my children, dedicating myself to their care while working on my research and papers, I decorated their nurseries by myself, I prepared their food by scratch and most importantly, I didn’t miss any of their milestones. Acting as the primary caregiver, I often found myself without much support apart from the occasional support from my husband and mother. However, when my second child turned one, I began to feel a deep sense of longing to return to work. As an educated individual, I found myself yearning for more. It was then that I decided to take action. The journey was far from smooth, mostly trial and error, and it took so much time to yield results.

I can assure you that the following steps will support you, if you are planning to take a career break or planning to return after a career break.

Strategies for Success

1.????? Set Clear Goals: Establishing clear goals will provide direction and keep you focused. Define both your main objective and sub-goals, breaking them down into actionable tasks with timelines for achievement.

2.????? Habit Tracking: The book, Atomic habits changed my perspective about continuous self-improvement as opposed to motivation, which is temporary. Consider tracking your habits, to change bad habits, endorse good habits, allocating time for yourself, practice gratitude for positivity, and try to improve even in small amounts for a continuous period of time.

3.????? Stay Connected: Link in, LinkedIn!! LinkedIn is a game changer! Optimize your LinkedIn profile, update, comment and share your insights, stay visible in your field. Maintain relationships with colleagues, mentors, and industry contacts during your break. Attend networking events, participate in professional groups.

4.?????? Stay Updated : Be updated with recent developments in your field, recognizing that industries evolve rapidly. Whether it's through online research, attending webinars, or participating in relevant workshops, staying informed ensures a smoother transition back into the workforce.

As for mine, the education sector underwent significant evolution over the last three years, particularly in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Traditional physical lectures have transitioned to online formats, with even exams being conducted remotely. The implementation of Learning Management Systems (LMS), virtual meetings, generative AI, ethical use of AI become common discussion. Returning to the workforce without familiarity with these digital tools can pose significant challenges.

5.????? Continuous Learning: Remain informed about industry trends and advancements. Invest in upskilling through various avenues, whether it's through paid courses, free online resources, webinars, mentoring sessions, or workshops. Embrace opportunities for professional development, including volunteering roles, to broaden your skill set and deepen your knowledge base. Consider engaging in online courses tailored to your field.

6.????? Personal Development: Use your career break to prioritize personal development and well-being. Dedicate time to pursue hobbies, interests, and self-care practices that promote balance and resilience. Incorporate activities like gratitude exercises or vision boarding to maintain clarity and focus.

7.????? Plan for Re-entry: Start planning for your return to the workforce early. Update your resume, refresh your skills, and research potential job opportunities or further education options that align with your career goals.

8.????? Consider part time or stay home employment first: Ease back into the workforce by initially exploring part-time or remote employment options. This approach offers flexibility to balance work and other responsibilities, fills gaps in your CV, and facilitates a smoother transition to full-time work.

9.????? Consider Pivoting: Explore the possibility of pivoting to a new field if your primary industry presents challenges. Assess your transferable skills and consider alternative career paths that align with your strengths and interests, opening doors to unexpected opportunities.

10.? Seek Support and be flexible: Build a support network of friends, family, and peers who can help during your career break and transition back to work. Recognize the challenges of delegating tasks, particularly if you're accustomed to managing childcare and other responsibilities independently. Avoid the temptation to micromanage every aspect, understanding that maintaining absolute control may hinder your ability to effectively balance work and personal commitments. Instead, prioritize flexibility while ensuring the safety and well-being of your children.?

Remember, resilience is the Key!

Make the most of your career break, maintain professional momentum, and get ready for a successful return to the workforce.

Resources and Acknowledgements

Following articles and research papers were referred for the background and insights.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/24080926_The_Effect_of_Career_Breaks_on_the_Working_Lives_of_Women

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/303867049_Working_Women_Career_Breaks_and_Re-entry_in_a_Fast-changing_Business_Environment

https://www.ips.lk/talkingeconomics/2023/11/06/empowering-sri-lankan-women-highlights-from-the-national-policy-conference-on-womens-access-to-decent-work-in-sri-lanka/

https://www.ips.lk/national-policy-conference-on-womens-access-to-decent-work/

https://ibcwe.id/98-5-percent-of-women-who-take-a-career-break-want-to-return-to-work/

AI use - Assistance of Paperpal was taken for language correction, conciseness and flow. Images generated through Canva AI Magic Media