Career breaks—especially for women caring for family—are often misunderstood across all professions. Beyond the pause lies a journey filled with emotional struggles: guilt, pressure, and the fear of falling behind.
Yet, these breaks cultivate resilience, new skills, and deeper empathy.Women returning to their careers bring unmatched strength and perspective shaped by their life experiences.
A career break is not a setback—it’s a powerful reset that can fuel a more meaningful comeback.
How can leaders across industries better support women turning their career breaks into comebacks that transform the workforce?
Of course! Instead of being viewed as gaps, career breaks should be viewed as opportunities for growth. Leaders can help women by providing mentorship, upskilling opportunities, and flexible re-entry programs. Workplaces can be transformed by acknowledging the special abilities developed during breaks, such as empathy, multitasking, and resilience. Industries can transform comebacks into significant contributions by valuing life experiences in addition to professional expertise. This will create inclusive environments where women flourish and inspire significant change.
Career break is often common among us. A lot of people lack experience, specially women’s once after completing their academic years. There might be a lot of reasons for the pause yet that pause is nothing but preparing for the next move. I really hope that without experience, IT and non IT jobs should give a chance to the people who took a pause in their career. However in that pause people often get well trained with their knowledge and giving a job to them with some practical knowledge could be better to light up their career. What we call is a CHANCE. A chance that might change into something better for themselves and for the company.
Leaders can help women turn career breaks into powerful comebacks by creating intentional pathways like returnships, flexible work models, and mentorship opportunities that honor both professional and personal growth. By reframing career pauses as periods of transformation rather than interruption, organizations can foster inclusion while gaining employees with renewed purpose, resilience, and perspective.
Just as IT industries are helping women return after career breaks(organizations like Overqualified housewives,Her second innings), the healthcare field too must create paths for skilled professionals to rejoin the workforce.
A career break doesn’t mean loss of knowledge—it simply means time away. With the right support, updates, and confidence, these capable professionals can shine again and make a lasting impact on healthcare.
Hitting pause is very important in every aspect of our life, and even more when it comes to our career. It gives you time to recoup both physically and mentally and gain more clarity of mind.
Career breaks give us pause and perspective and as you said, help women come back stronger. Women are showing a great ability with multitasking in their day to day lives juggling their career and families. A little empathy and support from both sides ( from the family and workfront) goes a long way. After all, it’s a new role that the woman has just transitioned into, and I’m sure an identity crisis along with it.
Most of us may be experiencing a similar issue, which can arise for various reasons. Nowadays, numerous changes have occurred in the corporate sector, with several companies offering opportunities to women returning to the workforce after a career break. However, such opportunities remain limited in the healthcare sector, as it often demands continuous experience.
A career break is definitely not a setback. With adequate support and encouragement, one can successfully reset and make a meaningful comeback
That’s such a powerful reminder, Dr. Triveni. I’ve always felt that career breaks aren’t about stepping back but about stepping aside to grow, to reset, and to return stronger with renewed purpose.
It’s incredible how these pauses often refine emotional intelligence and problem-solving skills, qualities that workplaces desperately need yet rarely measure.
Maybe leaders can start by viewing career breaks as chapters of transformation rather than gaps in experience creating re-entry programs or mentorship spaces that value the depth women gain during those years.
What’s your take on how organizations can practically shift this mindset from sympathy to genuine empowerment?
Leaders can empower women by offering flexible pathways, mentorship, and skill-refresh programs turning career breaks into opportunities that strengthen the workforce.
I think normalization of career breaks for not just women but everyone will decrease the scrutiny around it and make it more acceptable. And during the break, online courses and professional webinar sessions can help us keep in touch with the developments and skills needed to join the workforce back again!
Absolutely, career breaks can be a source of growth and renewed perspective, not a disadvantage.
But Dr. Triveni, What strategies or programs have you seen work effectively in helping women transition back into leadership roles after a career break?
Dr. Anshul, I have come across several encouraging initiatives aimed at helping IT professionals re-enter the workforce after a break. However, in the sessions I attended, it was mentioned that such opportunities are not yet extended to those from non-tech backgrounds. Programs like ZOHO Marupadi are truly admirable—they provide the necessary training and confidence to help professionals successfully return to the workforce. It would be great to see more inclusive programs that support all career backgrounds.
Instead of being viewed as gaps, career breaks should be viewed as opportunities for growth. Leaders can help women by providing mentorship, upskilling opportunities, and flexible re-entry programs. Workplaces can be transformed by acknowledging the special abilities developed during breaks, such as empathy, multitasking, and resilience. Industries can transform comebacks into significant contributions by valuing life experiences in addition to professional expertise. This will create inclusive environments where women flourish and inspire significant change. 
