As we become increasingly aware of the realities of burnout and learn to better prioritise our work-life balance, career breaks are becoming increasingly common in the modern workplace. In fact, one in three Britons have taken a career break at some point, yet of these people, 53% would rather not tell prospective employers about their time away from work due to the stigma attached.

From concerns that they won’t be taken as seriously to fears of missing out on valuable training and progression opportunities, there is still plenty of work to be done to normalise – and even begin to celebrate – the act of taking a break from our careers. It’s an issue that is inherently gendered, too. Not only are women three times more likely to take career breaks for childcare, compared to men, 69% acknowledge that career breaks have made them less confident in their careers and diminished their confidence at work even after returning.

Therefore, it’s no wonder that we at Stylist chose How To Return To Work Happily And With Confidence as the topic for our latest Stylist Network event in partnership with Google, hosted at The Soho Hotel on 4 July. Featuring an esteemed panel of experts, including Tobi Asare, managing partner and head of growth at OMD UK and author of The Blend, and Eleanor Tweddell, podcaster, founder of several businesses, mentor and author of Why Losing Your Job Could Be The Best Thing That Ever Happened To You, the night explored everything from closing the gendered career gap to how employers can help normalise career breaks for all. 

While returning to work after a career break can undoubtedly feel like a daunting task, it isn’t an impossible one. And, as Julianne Miles MBE, CEO and co-founder of Women Returners, shared on the night, there are five steps you can take to help ensure that you’re mentally, emotionally and physically ready to get back in the game. 

Don’t feel like it’s ever been too long to return

Whether you’ve been out for a year or 10 years, Miles insists that you’re never too old or too late to return to the workplace. While your break may have shifted your identity and forced you to reconsider who you are and what you want from your career, you should view that as a positive. “Returners often experience a loss of confidence, which is only natural, so the key is bringing everything you gained from your break to the forefront to counteract it,” she adds. 

Frame your career break as a gift

Whatever the reason for it, be it caring responsibilities, health reasons or redundancy, you should view your career break as a gift. After all, when else do you get such a valuable opportunity to stop and reassess how happy you are with the direction your career is taking?

So whether you used your break to reconnect with yourself or explore different creative opportunities, don’t apologise for or defend your extended break. It may be tempting to feel guilty about it or afraid of what may have happened in your absence, but instead, remind yourself of all of the positive things your break has brought you.

As Miles says: “Think about what you’re bringing differently, be it a fresh perspective or increased resilience, to work because of your career break, not in spite of it.”

Make your career break a proud part of your story

While your instinct may be to shy away from the fact that you took time off, it’s important to make your career break part of your own personal mission statement to help you feel empowered by it.

Miles uses the helpful idea of a career break sandwich to explain how best to introduce it if you feel nervous at the prospect. “Start your story with what you did before, highlighting interesting themes and strengths, like the headlines from your life before the break,” she says. “Then, talk about your career break in the middle. You can mention this in as much or as little detail as you like before moving on to the present. This is where you can focus on what you want now and how you’re going about it, whether that’s through upskilling, retraining or starting your own business.”

Get clear on what you want

Your extended break will likely have provided you with a valuable opportunity to reassess your old position and home in on what you want now – so use it. Capitalise on the momentum you have created by getting focused and targeted in your approach. “Don’t just go back to any old job,” says Miles. Instead, she suggests starting by considering what you’re good at, what you’re energised by and what you’re interested in. 

Then, it’s time to reality-test it. A fulfilling job with great pay and full flexibility sounds like a dream scenario, but is unlikely to exist in reality. Instead, work towards your priorities. Is the ability to work from home a deal-breaker for you or is it reduced hours? Once you know what you really want, it will be easier to enter negotiations to achieve it. 

Be creative in your approach to returning

Miles advises not getting too hung up on specific expectations and instead looking for creative ways to access the career you want upon your return. “If a flexible working schedule is what you’re after, a three-day week isn’t the only way to do so,” she says, “so be sure to look into other options, such as hybrid working, early finishes, extended breaks during school holidays or job shares.”

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Images: Getty/Farheen Shaikh