5 Reasons to Consider Returnships

A Returnship is a type of internship that is designed for professionals with career breaks get back into the workforce. In other words, the best way to hire women who have been historically underrepresented, and as retrogressive as it is, women still are the majority contributors of “diversity hiring”. With companies striving to create more diverse and inclusive workforces, Returnships are becoming a popular way to attract mid-career professionals that bring great value to the table.  

Let’s dive into the 5 reasons why you should consider Returnships: 

Tapping into a highly skilled talent pool 

This is the most obvious part of any Returnship program – access to untapped talent. Most recruiting processes completely disregard resumes that have a gap in their work history. And women returners who represent a wealth of highly skilled, available talent simply get ignored because they had to leave their job to care for their child or a loved one. By offering a Returnship program, companies can tap into this highly skilled talent pool and provide an opportunity for women to re-enter the workforce.  

Creating a Diverse and Inclusive Workforce 

Studies have shown that diversity increases profitability, results in more creative solutions to business problems. Any way you look at it, a workforce that is gender, culturally, racially, age, and more diverse simply performs better. And leveraging a Returnship program to hire women with career breaks is a great way to increase workforce diversity.  

Building a Strong Employer Brand 

Two-thirds of all job seekers say that a diverse and inclusive workplace is important when evaluating companies and job offers. This number goes up to 83% for millennials. Being recognized as a great place to work is now more than just a requirement for companies to attract newer talent. And Returnships can serve as the unique and proactive programs that set you apart and can position you as a progressive organization that values employees’ diverse backgrounds and experiences. 

Risk Free Recruitment 

There is always risk associated with the hiring process. But a 16, 20, or 24-week Returnship significantly minimizes these risks. Returnships allow candidates and the company to evaluate fit for the role and culture before making a decision on long-term employment, also, by providing training and development, companies can fill skills gaps across departments and reduce the need to hire new employees. To back it up, we have seen an 85% hire rate for Returnships with our clients, thus reducing recruitment costs. 

Retaining Talent 

Finally, Returnship programs can help companies retain experienced talent. By hiring women with career breaks to re-enter the workforce, companies can retain experienced employees who may have otherwise left the workforce permanently. The result is employees that feel valued which increases loyalty and a workforce that is proud of their employer.   

Returnships are already changing the way companies hire diverse talent. And their impact can not only be seen within the company’s talent acquisition efforts but across the entire organization and throughout the community.  

Partnering with Women Back to Work

Does your organization have the internal knowledge and expertise to source, screen, and hire and mentor returners?  

The key to a successful Returnship program is having the right approach with the right processes in place. Because returners are a unique talent pool, they require a unique recruiting process and Women Back to Work can help you with that. We create full service, custom Returnship programs that are tailored to your company needs.