Wisdom in the Workplace: The Unique Contributions of Returning Women

A working woman’s career graph is often non-linear, unlike a working man’s. As per new research, despite 98% of moms wanting to go back to work after they had children, only 13% thought it was viable on a full-time basis. Out of those who did manage to go back, a whopping 79% ended up leaving anyway, as they were not able to maintain the full-time role along with a baby.  (https://wearethecity.com/careers-after-babies-report-highlights-alarming-statistics-for-women-returning-to-work-after-having-children/)

The reasons for working woman’s career breaks are mostly forced upon them by self or societal expectations, though some may opt for it by choice. Employers and HR should educate themselves about these reasons, so they can better understand the causes behind women not being able to climb the career ladder in a steady manner, like most men do. Identifying root causes is essential before devising effective solutions.

Women may take career breaks for various reasons, including:

Maternity Leave: Many women take breaks to care for a newborn or growing family.

Childcare Responsibilities: Balancing work and childcare can lead to breaks, especially when affordable and reliable childcare is scarce.

Health Issues: Personal health issues related to child-birth, post-partum complications in the mother, health of the child, or those of family members may necessitate time off work.

Relocation of Spouse: Moving to a new location due to a spouse's job can lead to a career pause.

Elderly Care: Responsibilities for aging parents may require dedicated time.

Work-Life Balance: Struggling to balance work and personal life may prompt a decision to take a break.

Corporate Culture: Hostile or unsupportive workplace environments may lead women to opt for career breaks.

Burnout: Overwhelming work demands and stress can contribute to burnout, prompting a break for rejuvenation.

It is essential to note that these reasons can vary among individuals, and some women may take breaks for a combination of factors.

When they join back after a break, irrespective of the duration or cause of the break, they are often called returning women, and other terms such as comeback women, career re-launchers, return to work professionals, back to work women, and returnship participants (if they are in a returnship program) may be used.

Strengths and Challenges of Returning Women

In my previous workplace, two women in their mid-30s joined at senior levels. While we were having an introductory call over Zoom, being a returning woman myself, I was eager to know what had their previous work journey been like. I asked each of them in a separate meeting, what was their previous role and why they had left it. You are probably noting my boldness at this point, considering they were both much senior to me. In my opinion, returning women can be quite bold and curious. This is because during their career break, they have not been twiddling their thumbs, but acquiring a huge amount of experience, empathy, and probably a healthy curiosity of what is happening in the workplace in their absence. I was known to ask out-of-the-box questions, and voice my opinions even if they were not compliant with the majority.

To my surprise, both these women admitted to having been exhausted in their previous roles, so much that they had to take a break of a few months to rejuvenate. So, technically, they were returning women as well. By this time, I had gotten to know that they were extremely hard working, taking on multiple responsibilities, working six days a week, often late in the night, and sometimes on Sunday too. So yes, it would be safe to assume that having come back fresh and rejuvenated, returning women may choose to work very hard. This may be to recreate a niche for themselves, or to regain lost position and authority.

Pre-Menopausal Symptoms start kicking in

Though I was sceptical of whether they were setting a great example for our women colleagues by not seeming to have work-life balance, I admired these two women, as this industriousness would not be easy at my age. Being over the hills (over 50), I noticed a slacking in my energy levels, reduced tolerance to temperature changes (pre-menopausal), and even an abhorrence to sitting in front of the computer practically whole day in a remote work setting, as it leads to back or shoulder pain.

Returning women whose children have grown up and flown off the nest, may be facing pre-menopause related symptoms like the ones described above, but let us not forget what all they bring to the table. I was known to be a great mentor to the interns and the newly commissioned full-timers. Having seen my own children grow up, I knew exactly what these young ones needed. Someone who would guide them, for example, on how to be assertive and decline extra work load if it was making them burn the midnight oil daily, someone they could trust with their candid questions about salary and how to ask for a hike, and someone who would educate them on how to grow in the company. I often gave them tips that had helped me do well in my career.

So, HR personnel, please take note, returning women can be great mentors to the new joiners, almost like guardians in absence of parents. This would have an impact on the organizational dynamics and possibly make your own responsibilities easier!

Another advantage of having returning women is they can bring a fresh, big picture perspective to every discussion and problem. Here is an excerpt from a recommendation I received from a young male lawyer: “I have seen her come up with really helpful and practical solutions to tricky problems. She is also great at managing projects. Working with her is nice, and she is always ready to help her colleagues with anything.” This wise workforce’s perspectives have been obtained from a variety of problems they solve at home and outside home on a daily basis. Their grey hair is a symbol of wisdom and experience gained over time.

Communication style towards Gen Z vs Older Women

While the spotlight is on having older women on board for better nurturing of the younger generation, I must emphasize that older returning women are probably not back in the workplace to just earn their livelihood. They may have rejoined the workforce to feel respected, included and to contribute their wealth of wisdom. Speaking to them or writing emails to them in an irreverent manner may not go down very well with them, though it may be fine with the millennials and Gen Z. For example, a male manager in early 20s assigning tasks to an older woman in her early 40s, who has recently joined via a returnship program, and is perhaps an intern or an associate by designation, must be careful with the choice of his words.

The reason I give the example of a male manager is because sometimes, male managers can behave a bit arrogantly, while female managers are often more submissive in their approach. But irrespective of genders, one must always respect age while being assertive.

In the movie "The Intern," Robert De Niro's character initially faces scepticism and a lack of respect due to his age. However, as the story unfolds, his experience, wisdom, and unique perspective earn him the respect and admiration of his colleagues.