Every year, International Women’s Day gives us a moment to pause and take stock. To look at how far we’ve come — and, more importantly, how far we still have to go.
This year’s theme, Give to Gain, couldn’t be more relevant. Especially when we talk about midlife Returners and the employers who are missing out on their talent.
Because here’s the truth: when organisations give opportunity, flexibility, and trust — they gain experience, loyalty, perspective, and performance.
Returners: an untapped advantage, not a risk
Midlife women Returners are often spoken about in the language of gaps, confidence, or “getting back up to speed”. That framing is outdated — and unhelpful.
Returners bring:
- Experience
- Emotional intelligence and maturity
- Strong problem-solving skills
- Perspective shaped by life, leadership, and resilience
Many have managed teams, budgets, households, care responsibilities, and change — often all at once. That is not time lost. That is capability built.
Yet too many hiring processes still filter them out before they even get to the conversation.
If employers are serious about talent shortages, skills gaps, and retention, Returners are not a “nice to have”. They are part of the solution.
Give flexibility. Gain commitment.
One of the biggest barriers Returners face is not ability — it’s rigidity.
When employers give:
- Flexible or hybrid working
- Returner programmes or supported onboarding
- Skills refresh pathways instead of unrealistic “recent experience” demands
They gain:
- Highly motivated employees
- Strong retention rates
- Teams that reflect real customers and communities
Returners are not looking for shortcuts. They are looking for fair access — and they tend to stay, grow, and contribute deeply when given it.
Why D&I still matters
There’s a growing narrative that diversity and inclusion initiatives are no longer needed — that recruitment should be “neutral” and that merit will naturally rise to the top.
In theory, that sounds reasonable, but in practice, it ignores reality.
Bias still exists — particularly age and gender bias combined. Recruitment systems are still designed around linear careers. Job specs still quietly exclude those with non-traditional paths. And confidence gaps are often mistaken for competence gaps.
D&I initiatives matter because they:
- Challenge outdated assumptions
- Create fairer access to opportunity
- Force organisations to examine how they hire, not just who they hire
Until returners are consistently hired without special explanation, advocacy, or programmes — D&I work is not “done”.
International Women’s Day is just for one day, it should be part of an overall strategy to support more women return to the workforce.
International Women’s Day is about asking the right questions:
Who are we excluding without meaning to?
What talent are we overlooking because it doesn’t look familiar?
Give opportunity. Gain growth.
Give to Gain reminds us that progress is reciprocal. When employers give space for women to return, re-skill, and re-enter — they gain stronger teams, broader thinking, and sustainable talent pipelines.
When society gives value to experience at every life stage — everyone benefits.
This International Women’s Day, let’s stop asking whether Returners are “ready”.
Let’s start asking whether our systems are. Because when we give opportunity fairly, we don’t lose standards — we raise them.
If your organisation is ready to embrace returners in 2026, the opportunity is wide open — and the talent is right in front of you.
For more information and supports on creating a Returner Friendly recruitment process reach out to our team at info@backtoworkconnect.ie
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If you would like to take part in this survey you can do so via the link below. The survey is anonymous, only takes a couple of minutes, and your insights will directly shape resources and opportunities for future Returners. There are no right or wrong answers — we’re simply interested in your perspective.
Your voice matters. Thank you for sharing it.
