There’s been real progress in how organisations support women at work.
Maternity policies have improved.
Flexibility is more widely accepted.
New employment rights continue to be introduced.
A recent article in The Guardian described this as a “huge boost” for women.
But it raises an important question:
Why aren’t we seeing a meaningful shift in retention?
Women are still stepping away from roles.
Still downshifting.
Still questioning whether they can continue at the same level.
Because the issue was never just the policy.
It’s what happens after.
The return to work remains one of the least supported parts of the entire process.
Often treated as a simple continuation.
Expected to be seamless.
Left to the individual to navigate.
And without structured support at this point, the same patterns continue.
Organisations focus on how people leave.
But far less on how they come back.
Until that changes,
we’ll keep improving policies—
and seeing the same outcomes.