In an era where diversity and inclusion are key priorities for businesses, ThoughtWorks—a global technology consultancy known for its progressive approach—has undertaken the challenging task of supporting women who have taken career breaks to re-enter the workforce. This case study explores how ThoughtWorks is addressing this pressing issue by creating an inclusive and supportive environment for women looking to return to work after extended breaks, demonstrating a commitment to diversity and equity in the workplace.
Background: The Challenge of Women Returning to Work
1. The “Returnship” Challenge
Returning to work after a career break, whether for personal reasons, family responsibilities, or other life events, is often a daunting challenge for women. Despite gaining experience and skills during their previous careers, many women find themselves facing significant barriers when attempting to re-enter the professional world. These barriers include outdated technical skills, potential biases from hiring managers, and a lack of flexibility or support in traditional work environments.
- Skills Gap: When women take extended breaks, especially in technical fields like software engineering or data science, their technical skills and knowledge may not be up-to-date with the latest technologies or industry standards.
- Bias in Hiring: Research shows that women returning from breaks often encounter implicit biases from employers who may question their commitment, abilities, or confidence in handling current roles.
- Work Environment: For many women, traditional work environments are not designed to be inclusive, particularly when it comes to providing flexibility, support, or mentorship.
2. The Importance of Inclusive Workplaces
Creating more inclusive workplaces for women who wish to return to work is not just a matter of fairness—it’s also a crucial factor for attracting and retaining top talent. As companies strive to build more diverse teams, ThoughtWorks’ innovative approach in providing returnship opportunities is setting an example for others to follow. This not only benefits women but also enhances business outcomes by bringing a wider range of perspectives, creativity, and problem-solving abilities into the workplace.
ThoughtWorks’ Approach: The Returnship Program
ThoughtWorks has designed a unique returnship program to help women successfully re-enter the workforce after taking a break. This initiative focuses on providing women with the support, training, and mentorship needed to build confidence and contribute effectively in their roles, all while addressing the challenges posed by traditional work environments.
1. Comprehensive Skills Training and Learning
One of the key aspects of ThoughtWorks’ returnship program is its comprehensive skills training. By offering tailored training modules, participants gain up-to-date knowledge of the latest tools, technologies, and methodologies used in the industry. This ensures that women who join the returnship program feel confident and prepared to contribute from day one.
- Technical Workshops: ThoughtWorks organizes hands-on workshops that cover the latest technical skills, including programming languages, software development tools, and software testing methodologies.
- Soft Skills Development: In addition to technical training, the program provides participants with opportunities to develop soft skills such as communication, teamwork, and problem-solving abilities.
- Personalized Mentorship: Every returnship participant is paired with a mentor who offers guidance, support, and career advice throughout the program. This mentorship relationship is crucial for helping women regain confidence and competence.
2. Flexible Work Arrangements
Understanding that women who have taken career breaks often need more flexibility in their work arrangements, ThoughtWorks has made significant efforts to offer a more accommodating work environment. Flexible work arrangements, including part-time roles, telecommuting, and job sharing, are available as part of the returnship program, helping women to transition smoothly back into the workforce while balancing other aspects of their lives.
- Remote Work Options: ThoughtWorks recognizes that remote work can be a great option for women returning to work, especially for those who require greater flexibility in their schedules.
- Part-Time Opportunities: Many participants in the returnship program work part-time initially, giving them a gradual and supportive transition back into full-time roles.
- Job Sharing Models: For women who may prefer more structured and shared responsibilities, ThoughtWorks offers job sharing arrangements to help them ease back into their roles.
3. Building a Supportive Community
ThoughtWorks knows that successful re-entry into the workforce requires more than just technical training and job arrangements. The company has also created a supportive community within its returnship program, where women can connect with others who understand their unique challenges, share experiences, and receive encouragement. This community helps build confidence and motivation for women to succeed, reinforcing the importance of a supportive and inclusive workplace culture.
- Peer Support Networks: The returnship participants can access a network of women who have successfully navigated similar challenges and who offer advice, support, and inspiration.
- Events and Workshops: ThoughtWorks regularly hosts events and workshops specifically designed for returnship participants, where they can learn from others, share insights, and network with professionals from various fields.
- Mentorship Beyond Technical Skills: The returnship mentors help participants not only with technical aspects of their jobs but also with broader professional development issues, such as networking, negotiation, and self-promotion.
Benefits of ThoughtWorks’ Returnship Program
1. Closing the Skills Gap
The returnship program at ThoughtWorks plays a crucial role in helping women close the skills gap that often emerges during career breaks. By providing a structured environment with access to the latest tools and technologies, women participating in the program can quickly regain their confidence and competency.
- Reduced Learning Curve: The comprehensive training and mentorship offered by ThoughtWorks help women get up to speed faster, allowing them to contribute effectively and efficiently in their roles.
- Improved Retention Rates: ThoughtWorks’ commitment to providing support to women returning to work not only enhances employee retention but also strengthens the company’s talent pool.
2. Enhanced Diversity and Inclusion
Implementing a returnship program has proven to be a valuable tool for ThoughtWorks in promoting diversity and inclusion in the workplace. By making it easier for women to return to their careers, ThoughtWorks is creating a more diverse and equitable work environment, which brings many strategic business benefits.
- More Diverse Teams: By bringing women with various experiences and backgrounds into the fold, ThoughtWorks is able to create more diverse teams capable of providing richer insights and innovative solutions.
- Improved Business Outcomes: Diverse teams, equipped with a broader set of perspectives and skills, have been shown to deliver better business outcomes, driving innovation and growth for ThoughtWorks.
3. Positive Impact on Company Culture
Beyond just providing practical support and technical training, the ThoughtWorks returnship program has had a noticeable impact on the company’s culture. By fostering an inclusive and supportive environment for women who wish to return to work, ThoughtWorks has created a more positive and dynamic work culture.
- Strengthened Company Values: ThoughtWorks’ commitment to supporting women in returning to work aligns with its core values of diversity, inclusion, and equality.
- Broader Employee Satisfaction: The program has been well-received by employees, as it demonstrates the company’s commitment to diversity and provides opportunities for women to thrive in their careers.
Challenges and Future Outlook
1. Expanding the Program’s Reach
While the returnship program has been successful so far, ThoughtWorks is looking to expand its reach and increase the number of women participating. Scaling up the program requires overcoming various logistical, cultural, and financial challenges, as the company seeks to bring more women back into the workforce.
- Scaling Up: ThoughtWorks aims to create a more comprehensive and easily accessible returnship program, with more tailored opportunities for women in different roles and industries.
- Expanding Accessibility: The program needs to reach more companies and industries to truly influence the return-to-work landscape for women on a broader scale.
2. Ensuring Sustainability
Maintaining the momentum of the returnship program over time is critical for ThoughtWorks. The company must continue to invest in training, mentorship, and flexibility to keep the program sustainable and effective.
- Sustainability in Flexible Arrangements: ThoughtWorks is committed to maintaining flexible work arrangements to accommodate women who wish to continue their careers without compromising their work-life balance.
- Ensuring Continuous Improvement: The company continuously gathers feedback and evolves the program to meet the needs of women returning to the workforce.
Conclusion: ThoughtWorks – Leading the Way in Supporting Women’s Return to Work
ThoughtWorks is taking a bold and innovative approach to tackling the challenge of bringing women back into the workforce. Through its returnship program, the company is providing an inclusive and supportive environment where women can rebuild their confidence, upgrade their skills, and thrive in a technology-driven industry. As more companies look for ways to build more equitable work environments, ThoughtWorks serves as an inspiring example of how supporting women’s return-to-work initiatives can benefit both the women and the business.
