Returnship programmes a win-win for companies and talents

Career breaks are becoming more common in the world of work, as professionals are taking time out of their career to care for loved ones, study, raise a family or deal with long-term sickness. This phenomenon is likely to mushroom as the length of a person’s career is expected to increase in the future alongside life expectancy.

To attract and harness the experience and skills of this potential pool of talented workers already trained, qualified, and highly experienced, some businesses are creating returnship programmes - a new tool in the hiring strategies of organisations.

At present, returnship programmes are generally aimed at those professionals who have been out of the workforce for upwards of two years. These programmes usually involve formal paid placements which may lead to permanent employment. What differentiates the placements company-to-company is the level of support that is available to ease the transition back into work – which can include buddying schemes, training, coaching or mentorships. To ensure the returnship programmes are attractive, many roles are initially offered as part-time or flexible and can later transition to full-time roles.

Simon Lance, Managing Director at Hays Greater China said, “Skill shortage is one of the common and key challenges faced by companies globally. Some organisations are failing to operate at their full potential due to skills shortages. One effective way of combatting this is by bringing people with those vital skills back into the workforce, so some businesses are ensuring they have an effective returnship programme in place. Some large firms are already adopting this approach, including Microsoft, Unilever, IBM, Dell, PayPal, and Vodafone.”

Many organisations are also using returnship programmes as an opportunity to address diversity, as many of the professionals who leave the workplace are women who left to raise a family.

“Returnship programmes are also highly beneficial to the professionals that companies target, as they provide them with the opportunity to relaunch their career and even upskill.” Simon says. “Taking time away from work may mean that some professionals have missed out on vital developments within their area of expertise, and these programmes allow them to transition back into the workforce and ultimately make them more employable，bring them income and help them with advance their careers.”

A successful returnship programme is a win-win for both companies and professionals. But Simon notes that, the costs of a returnship programme are high, so businesses must be aware and realistic when starting the schemes. They should make sure that the return is seen as an investment and that it is being implemented to maximum effect. Thus, organisations need to start by identifying where there are skills shortages in their business, or which area would benefit from diversity.

Hays provides tips for companies to introduce returnship programmes:

• Use quality data or evidence for building the business case for a returnship programme. For example, assess where potential skills gaps are and where returners would fit into the business model to plug these gaps
• State your aims and objectives from the outset
• It’s better to start small and then expand the programme gradually rather than being too ambitious from day one. It also means you can remain flexible and tailor the programme to be more bespoke
• Maintain connection with the group to ensure they have all the support they need. Providing returnees with a point of contact who they can turn to with any issues that arise can be beneficial. Evaluate the programme through feedback to explore best practices
• Garner senior-level sponsorship and buy-in from the wider business. For example, ensure that managers running projects and hiring managers are trained and fully briefed
• If placements are run in different regions, ensure that knowledge and best practice are shared so that there is consistency of experience for returners

This topic was originally explored in Hays Journal 17.