The Role of Support in Women's Professional Reinvention

In India, LinkedIn's recent data shows that 38% of women cite a career break for parenting, over four times the percentage of men at 9%. This statistic reveals a critical opportunity for companies to support women reentering the workforce after career breaks, especially for those transitioning back into strategic or leadership roles. Since I work in corporate leadership and talent acquisition, I've had the privilege of helping numerous women resume impactful careers. Success in these placements is only possible with the full support of stakeholders and leadership. When companies trust and empower the talent acquisition team to identify skilled candidates—career break or not—change happens. With the right understanding and genuine commitment from top-level leadership, companies can move beyond stigmas tied to career breaks. This approach is where real change management lies: hiring based on skill and potential, aligned with opportunity requirements, and championed by an inclusive leadership vision. To foster this environment, companies can Create 'Returnship' Programs: Structured reentry programs designed to ease the transition, often with mentorship and flexible schedules. Empower Hiring Managers and Teams: Sensitize teams to the value that career returners bring, shifting the focus from the break to relevant skills. Flexible and Inclusive Policies: Remote or hybrid working options, especially in the early months, to accommodate reentry. Leadership and Accountability: Embed this inclusion at the top levels, ensuring leaders actively promote and normalize hiring after career breaks. It’s time we see this as true change management, where talent is prioritized for the value they bring, not discounted for gaps in their resume. #ReturnToWork #WomenInLeadership #InclusiveHiring #CareerReentry #DiversityAndInclusio

Many women founders grow their businesses with something powerful behind them. A strong circle. Mentors who guide them. Peers who share real experiences. Communities where advice, contacts, and lessons move freely. For many women entrepreneurs, these networks are not optional. They are essential. Because entrepreneurship can feel isolating, especially in ecosystems where funding networks and investor circles are still heavily male-dominated. So women founders often build their own support systems. Founder groups. Mentorship programs. Collaborative communities where people openly help each other navigate growth, hiring, fundraising, and leadership. Research on global women entrepreneurship trends shows that these networks often accelerate learning and open doors that might otherwise stay closed. One introduction can lead to an investor. One mentor can help avoid a costly mistake. One peer conversation can change how a founder approaches a challenge. Over time, these connections compound. Knowledge spreads faster. Confidence grows. More women step forward to build companies. In many ways, these support networks are one of the quiet engines behind the rise of women entrepreneurs globally. Have mentorship or founder communities played a role in your own professional journey?

In 2022, Cameron Diaz made a remarkable return to Hollywood after a decade-long break, reigniting her career and sparking important conversations about the stigma surrounding career gaps. Her comeback serves as a powerful example of how time away can lead to personal growth and new perspectives, offering lessons for workplaces on treating professionals—especially women—returning to work with greater respect and opportunity. At the peak of her career, Diaz chose to step away to focus on her personal life, including family and health. In an industry known for reinvention, her return was celebrated, not questioned. This stands in stark contrast to the corporate world, where career gaps are often viewed as red flags. A LinkedIn survey found that 60% of hiring managers are hesitant to hire candidates with career breaks, despite 84% agreeing that such breaks can bring valuable growth. Women are disproportionately affected by this stigma, as they are more likely to take career breaks for caregiving. A 2023 McKinsey report revealed that 43% of women who left their jobs did so due to burnout and lack of workplace flexibility, yet only 10% of companies offer structured pathways for re-entry. Diaz’s return highlights the fallacy of these biases—her time away didn’t diminish her talent; it gave her a chance to recalibrate and return stronger. Workplaces must learn to embrace non-linear career paths, focusing on potential rather than continuity. Studies show that women returning from career breaks are often overqualified for the roles they are offered, despite possessing advanced degrees and valuable life experiences. Companies like Accenture are addressing this issue with programs like "Return to Work," which boasts a 90% success rate in transitioning participants to full-time roles. Such initiatives prove the potential of returning professionals when given the right support. Cultural shifts are just as critical. Workplaces should celebrate the return of professionals by offering mentorship, upskilling opportunities, and flexible transition plans. Comprehensive support, from childcare assistance to mental health resources, is essential for retaining and re-engaging top talent. Diaz’s story highlights the power of owning one’s narrative. Her return wasn’t framed as a deficiency but as a celebration of growth. Workplaces should encourage professionals to share their stories, reframing career gaps as periods of renewal. Time away often hones critical skills like resilience and adaptability, qualities indispensable to leadership. Diaz’s journey challenges outdated norms and shows that stepping away can lead to new strengths and perspectives. If an industry as competitive as Hollywood can welcome its stars back with open arms, so can corporate workplaces. By valuing experience over continuity and creating supportive environments, companies can unlock the immense potential of returning professionals and build a more inclusive future.

Success can be isolating - but what if the cure for loneliness lies not in being less ambitious, dimming your light, or settling below your potential, but in connecting with others just as driven as you? We continue from our post yesterday, addressing women in leadership who identify as successful, yet feeling lonely or alone in their leadership journey. Now, for many women leaders, the pressures of leadership can create barriers to meaningful connections. However, research shows that support networks both within and outside of work are powerful antidotes to this isolation. Building these intentional connections provides the emotional support, authentic relationships, shared experiences, and practical support that help women leaders not just survive, but truly thrive. Fostering these networks can be a game-changer for you as a woman in leadership. Research from Harvard Business Review reveals that women in senior leadership roles often find it difficult to form genuine peer networks within their organizations. Thus, it becomes harder to find the emotional safety needed to discuss the unique pressures you face. Intentional networking with other women in leadership, both inside and outside of the organization, is crucial. These networks don’t just provide career advancement opportunities, but they create a space for shared experiences, where women can openly discuss challenges, strategies, and successes without fear of judgment. This area is personal to me because it was part of my experience as a senior leader. I had a couple of false starts as I began looking for help. The initial people I reached out to and ask for support were not able to grasp what it was that I was looking for. That was really disappointing. However, the need was still there. I continued to search and explore possible spaces I could fit in as well as peers who could relate with what I was going through. Step by step out of my comfort zone led me to a thriving support community that continues to this day. Research from HBR shows that leaders who have strong support networks experience higher resilience, better decision-making, and increased job satisfaction, all of which enhance both personal well-being and professional performance. Building a support network isn’t just a way to cope with loneliness. It is a pathway to more fulfilling and impactful leadership. When women leaders invest in authentic connections with friends, peers, mentors, and coaches, they open doors to shared wisdom, mutual encouragement, and new perspectives that empower them to lead with confidence. A supportive network essential for women leaders who want to thrive, inspire others, and create lasting change. Do you have a support network in place? Or, are you searching for one? #leadership #africa #leadershipdevelopment #professionalwomen #personaldevelopment

Before we compare women’s careers, we should compare their support systems. We compare outcomes, titles, visibility, and speed of progression as if everyone is working from the same starting point. We are not. Behind many successful careers sits infrastructure: practical help, family support, financial flexibility, reliable childcare, emotional backing, and the freedom to pursue opportunities without being made to feel guilty for them. Behind many slower or more fragmented careers sits the opposite. That does not mean less talent. It does not mean less ambition. And it certainly does not mean less worth. It means that professional progression is shaped not only by ability and effort, but also by the environment in which that ability has to function. Until we become more honest about that, we will keep misreading unequal conditions as unequal capability. #womeninophthalmology #womeninmedicine

“IDGAF is in the dictionary.
 Matrescence isn’t.” This ad in The New York Times today stopped me in my tracks. Since 2021 I’ve been saying that “pregnancy is the shortest ramp of time for a career change that lasts a lifetime.” Yet, we treat becoming a mother as a leave event. A benefits conversation. An HR workflow. But matrescence — the developmental transition into motherhood — is a profound identity shift. Neurological. Psychological. Relational. Professional. Cultural.  Economical. It reshapes: * How you define ambition * How you make decisions * How you set boundaries * How you see time * How you lead This isn’t a personal side story.
It’s a leadership transition. And it deserves to be treated as one. My understanding of matrescence has been shaped deeply by my teachers and mentors: Amy Taylor-Kabbaz, Sophie Brock, and Nikki McCahon, whose scholarship in matrescence and motherhood studies names what so many women experience but struggle to articulate. To bring this into organizational reality, I’ve spent the last six months studying with Amy Beacom, Ed.D. learning research-driven parental leave planning frameworks that provide what most companies are missing: a structured, evidence-based approach to navigating this transition well. Because here’s the truth: Without support, matrescence feels destabilizing.
With support, it becomes transformative. We invest in MBAs.
Executive coaching.
Leadership off-sites. Yet we ignore one of the most compressed and consequential transitions of a professional woman’s life. If “IDGAF” can finally make the dictionary, it’s time matrescence makes our workplace strategy. Motherhood is not a derailment of leadership or a loss of ambition. It is a portal to a new way of being. And we need to start preparing women, and the systems around them, accordingly. 📸Michelle Battersby, President Peanut App

Women struggle immensely to return to the workforce after motherhood. Recently, I was interviewing a talented candidate who had taken a career break to raise her child. Her journey was inspiring, but what struck me was how difficult it is for women to reclaim their professional identities after stepping away for motherhood. It often feels like capitalism penalizes women for becoming mothers rather than rewarding them for nurturing the future generation. The industry evolves, skill sets shift, and opportunities become scarce for those who take a pause. While I understand that businesses move forward, there has to be a better way to empower and reintegrate returning mothers into the workforce. - In India, the women's workforce participation rate is just around 32% and this drops even further when women become mothers. - A LinkedIn study highlighted that 77% of Indian women who took career breaks feel that it hindered their professional growth. - 38% of women in India listed career break for parenting on their Linkedin profiles compared to only 9% of men, reveals the latest data from LinkedIn's Workforce. These numbers reflect a systemic issue that needs collective action. We must move beyond tokenism and create real pathways for returning mothers, offering upskilling programs, flexible work environments, mentorship support, and eliminating bias against career gaps. Companies that invest in empowering returning mothers often see a highly motivated, loyal, and skilled workforce in return. It is not just about diversity, it is about building a truly inclusive and empathetic work culture. To all the mothers trying to rebuild their careers - you deserve support, respect, and equal opportunities. And to the employers out there - let's lead the change.

“You look so much thinner in your previous pictures.” “How do you even give time to your twins if you’re the Principal of a school?” “Focus on your family right now… you can build a career later.” “Why didn’t you take your husband’s surname? Are you ashamed of it?” “You’re so ambitious… but don’t forget your ‘real’ responsibilities.” “Who manages your children when you’re at work?” Most of these are not said with malice. They are said casually. Almost affectionately. But pause for a moment and ask yourself one simple question: Would these statements ever be said to a man? Would anyone say to a father leading an organisation: “Your children must be missing you.” “Shouldn’t you slow down and prioritise home?” “You look different in pictures.” “Why didn’t you change your surname after marriage?” Probably not. And that is where the quiet bias lies. Not in loud discrimination. But in everyday conversations. Women today are leading companies, classrooms, laboratories, governments and homes, often all at once. Yet somewhere between ambition and expectation, women are still being asked to justify choices that men are never questioned about. This is why support among women at the workplace matters more than ever. Because too often, the world outside is already sceptical. We don’t need that same scepticism from each other. Support looks like: • Celebrating another woman’s ambition without calling it “too much”. • Not questioning her choices about motherhood, marriage, or identity. • Amplifying her voice in rooms where she is interrupted. • Recognising that there is no single template for what a “good woman” should look like. The truth is — every woman you work with is fighting a battle you may not see. A career. A home. A family. A body that the world constantly comments on. A name that society wants to define. So the next time you see a woman doing well, don’t ask how she’s managing everything. Just say: “You’re doing an incredible job.” Because sometimes, the most powerful thing one woman can do for another… is simply stand beside her, not in judgment, but in solidarity. #WomensDay #WomenSupportingWomen #Leadership #WorkplaceCulture #Equality

#womenatwork #sheforshe #leadership #careergrowth At work, “having someone’s back” is often the difference between surviving and thriving. For women, it matters even more. We still face subtle bias, interrupted ideas, and fewer opportunities for sponsorship – even though sponsorship can dramatically increase the odds of promotion and progression. That’s why I believe women supporting women is a leadership responsibility, not a feel‑good slogan. Support looks like: - Repeating and amplifying another woman’s idea so it is heard and credited to her. - Sharing honest feedback privately and celebrating her wins publicly. - Saying her name in the right rooms when roles, panels, and promotions are being discussed. - Standing beside her when she pushes back on unfair labels like “too aggressive” or “not ready yet”. When we do this consistently, we don’t just help individuals – we change the culture. Teams perform better, engagement rises, and more women stay and grow instead of quietly opting out. If you are a woman at work today, here is a simple question to carry into your week: “Whose name can I amplify, recommend, or protect this month?” Because every time we have another woman’s back, we make it a little easier for the next one to stand tall.