Organizations around the world are facing talent shortages, rising hiring costs and pressure to build a strong, future-ready workforce. Yet one of the most experienced talent pools is often overlooked: women returning to work after a career break.
In the UAE, career breaks are often due to life changes such as relocation and motherhood – realities of a fast-paced, globally connected society rather than a lack of ambition, skill or purpose among women. Although these returnees are often considered dangerous, evidence suggests they are an untapped resource.
A 2024 report by PwC Middle East found that half of women in the MENA region – more than two-thirds at the highest levels – have taken a career break, and that harnessing the full potential of this talent pool could contribute up to US $385 billion to GDP in nine MENA countries.
The report emphasizes that women returning to work do not need to be “improved” from the start, but are often screened because their CVs do not follow consistent patterns. These women are educated, skilled and experienced, and when institutional knowledge, recruitment and boarding costs are factored in, it is clear that ignoring this group of professionals is unproductive and economically inefficient.
There is real opportunity for change, from ethical hiring to workplace policies and culture.
Women face a number of obstacles when navigating their way back to work. In the search phase, repeated rejections, lack of response and a clear message that a career break is weak can have a significant impact on self-confidence. On a practical level, many positions are still built between fixed workflows and ‘always on’ cultures that are fundamentally incompatible with the realities of care.
Returnees are often also screened for lack of recent UAE or regional experience, which creates a catch-22: local experience is required for employment, but recruitment is required for local experience.
This is further complicated by the emergence of AI and digital tools, women are well aware of how the ways of working have changed in recent years. The challenge is not often lack of learning, but limited access to opportunities to update skills or demonstrate competence in real workplace settings.
Rather than reflecting a lack of talent or ambition, these obstacles point to plans and assumptions that don’t match today’s realities.
Returnship – a professional internship for experienced workers re-entering the workforce after a significant career break – plays an important role in reopening doors. For many women, they provide exactly what is needed: a structured environment to refresh skills, rebuild confidence, get up-to-date information and reconnect with professional networks.
These programs are successful: according to PwC, returns benefit employers by attracting motivated and mature talent with unique ideas, with 83 percent of women reporting that these programs influence their decision to re-enter the workforce.
However, many such programs are designed for temporary placements or entry-level roles, often with limited compensation and no guaranteed long-term advancement. For women who return to work later in life, this model does not always work economically, as the cost of living and caring for children often exceeds the return salary.
This underscores the need for multiple re-entry options that reflect the diversity of women’s backgrounds and experience levels as the return-to-work conversation matures and changes – recognizing upside, enabling opportunities for direct recruitment and increasing stability.
Beyond the programs, there is the important issue of a mindset that prioritizes continuity over ability, where uninterrupted jobs are rewarded and career breaks are viewed with caution. In fact, women who rejoin the workforce bring a combination of valuable knowledge and transferable skills.
Navigating complexity, uncertainty and change outside of the professional hierarchy has strengthened their judgment, flexibility, stakeholder management and problem-solving skills. As a result, these women tend to challenge stereotypes and offer ideas shaped by lived experience – qualities that make sense in workplaces that seek innovation and resilience.
The next phase of progress must reshape the way career breaks are understood and valued, with hiring practices that assess ability rather than chronology, and workplace policies that reflect the realities of modern life.
At Expo City Dubai, we believe that empowering women in their professional journey is more than social equity – it’s a competitive advantage. As a new hub for Dubai’s future and a key contributor to the Dubai Economic Agenda (D33), we are committed to increasing our social, environmental and economic impact through innovation and collaboration.
Reflecting this commitment and efforts to promote diversity, inclusion and opportunity, the two-phase Women’s Pavilion Return to Work program at Expo City enables women to overcome the challenges of re-entry and return their knowledge to the economy. This program includes targeted skills development in digital communication, interview preparation, networking and more – and is one of the few programs to champion women and girls, at all stages of life.
As Expo City continues to evolve, we know we are one thread in a much larger, ever-changing tapestry. We are proud to help develop a strong, innovative and balanced society and economy – powered by the full range of its talent – and welcome collaboration with others who share our mission.
