According to the report Predicament of Returning Mothers, only 27% of women join work after their maternity break. And of these, nearly 48% leave in just four months after rejoining due to childcare commitments.
The high rate of attrition among women returning to work underscores the importance of empowering women looking to revive their career after a break. The most effective way to build their confidence levels is with first-hand experience of live projects and by helping them reskill.
To facilitate this, SheRises - a career reboot program for women looking to make a return to corporate life after a break was launched at Epsilon India. The 4 month-long program includes personal development and professional training, followed by hands-on experience on live projects.
As part of the initiative, 10 women are shortlisted for HR, Testing and Program Management teams. During their internship, they undergo immersive training that helps them get up to speed with technology and collaboration tools. This is followed by a five-day workshop to encourage them chart their goals, build their brand, regain confidence in their abilities, and strengthen their networking skills.
Upon conclusion of the 10-day training, the interns start working on live projects with the help of a mentor who helps them achieve their developmental goals.
During the last week of their internship, they get a chance to present their achievements and summarize their journey to their leaders and other stakeholders. Depending on their performance and the availability of the roles, they are offered permanent positions.
Epsilon’s endeavor is to convert and retain the maximum number of interns, and most importantly, help these women make a difference in their career.
SheRises Rockstars – Stories That Inspire Us
“Return to work is liberating."
Deepti M, QA Analyst, Sr.
Having taken a break at the prime of my career, I’d set out to restart my professional life after 5 long years. It felt like going back to a bookmark of a half-read, favorite book.
A break is a means for a fresh start, a new perspective, and a chance to look beyond myself. Motherhood is one such thing. It came to me as a surprise but also helped me understand my fears and realize my strengths. With my extended maternity break, I got a chance to do some heavy parenting as a stay-at-home mom. It was a ground-breaking where I discovered my disastrous culinary skills, went on some memorable road trips, and realized my passion for lifestyle photography.
While this journey took its course, there came a point, when I thought about returning back to the corporate fold. The decision was a tough but when I got to know about Epsilon’s SheRises program, it excited me. I spend time upskilling myself and learning how to re-align, re-frame, relate and re-brand.
Epsilon’s flexible work culture was helpful too, which allowed me to juggle between work and home without much trouble. I received good guidance and support from my team and am very happy to be part of an organization which has such a diverse and inclusive work culture.
"Re-igniting the passion for work."
Padmaja Isukapalli, Manager, Marketing Tech Delivery
After resigning from a managerial post in an IT company to take care of my family, I decided to return to my professional life after a break of one-and-a-half years.
It was initially difficult to land an opportunity, but then, I participated in Epsilon’s SheRises program, which offered me an internship for four months. I was received really well and the program gave me ample opportunities to prove my mettle. I’m currently a marketing tech delivery manager here. The work culture is based on clear communication. Epsilon’s training programs helped me strengthen my skills to align with the company strategy and roadmap. If I asked my 9-year-old daughter to describe me now, she would say that I am ambitious, focused, and with a ‘can-do’ attitude.
“Work-life balance is an art.”
Vanishri Sonnenahalli, Senior QA Analyst
Career and ambition have always been my priority in life. But motherhood changed my perspective and priorities in a big way. A little more than 5 years were dedicated to the upbringing of my daughters. The challenges that came along were new learnings but the passion to be a successful working woman never took a back seat.
Returning to work after a long break was a difficult task. Epsilon gave me a second chance to hone my skills and excel at work while making a difference to my family. As a working mother, I faced many challenges. But now, I’ve realized the importance of planning to maintain a good work-life balance. SheRises is a brilliant program for women like me who wish to get back to their career after a break.
The best thing about Epsilon is the opportunities they offer. As a senior QA analyst, I am able to balance my work and personal life effortlessly. Regular interactions with senior management and their feedback gives me the guidance I need to adjust to this new work culture. Someday, I hope to inspire my daughters to become self-driven, patient, and responsible.
"Reuniting career goals to upskill."
Nupur Agarwal, QA Analyst
It was a struggle to return to work, as I was on an extended maternity break for 3.5 years. Initially, I just wanted to take care of my daughter and get back only when she was old enough to manage things on her own.
But eventually, I realized how much I was missing out. Joining SheRises was a life-changing decision as it helped boost my career. Since I had worked in a different domain earlier in my career, the opportunity to learn new things at Epsilon excited me the most. The well-planned training and mentorship sessions brought me up to speed at work pretty quickly.
Thanks to the flexibility I received at Epsilon, I was able to take weekend piano classes, and plan short getaways with my daughter too. I feel special to be able to take care of my family, enjoy work, and explore this beautiful city as well.
