Should women return to work?
A few years ago, I attended session in which senior women professionals from core engineering companies like Motorola and Google spoke about career growth and returning to work.
After the session, an undergraduate student mentioned her concern to the panel members. She said, “You spoke a lot about professional growth. We become mothers, and then our careers take a backseat. We might not be able to return to work.”
This comment was coming from a young female undergraduate student, who did not have children yet.
One of the speakers had a response that I remember clearly to this day.
I took a break after my son was born and stayed at home for about 6 years. I can never forget the day I decided to get back to work.
We used to have a spot on the stairs which always accumulated dust. That day, it occurred to me that I clean this stubborn dust day after day. If I stay at home, a significant portion of my life will be spent cleaning that mole of dust and doing the same household chores every day.
I wanted to do more. You always have a choice to return back to work. You have to remember that.
What makes women leave the workforce
Most of the women drop out of the career ladder after they have children. The break extends longer than expected.
Moreover, it’s the support from the family which determines whether the woman can return to work. Some women choose not to return based on their personal preferences, which is perfectly alright.
How to return to work
A few others restart their career in the same field or an area in which they are passionate about. In this fast-paced technological world, career switches have become easier.
Premier educational institutions like Harvard University, Columbia University and Drexel University offer online certificate courses across wide domains. Edx and Coursera provides a comprehensive listing of courses from about 120 Universities.
Online courses allow women who took a break to venture into new area and have a mix of useful and up-to-date skills. There are unlimited venues to explore and grow.
The first step is to make the choice. The next step is to take small steps towards making your choice of returning to work a reality.
Returning to work after a break is not just about restarting a career, it’s about reclaiming a part of yourself. Yes, the challenges are real: the gap on your résumé, the shifting technology, the self-doubt. But so is your experience, resilience, and the quiet strength you’ve built through every stage of life.
The truth is, there is no perfect time or perfect path to return. What matters is the decision to take that first step, to reimagine your professional identity, seek support, and rebuild at your own pace. The workplace needs more women who bring this perspective, maturity, and purpose back into the fold.
Every woman who returns doesn’t just restart her own story, she paves the way for others to believe they can, too.
Serein helps organisations build robust policies and cultures that help women return to the workforce and continue their innovation. Write to us at hello@serein.in.