Allstate's returnship program ensures career breaks aren't career enders

A resume gap shouldn't be a career-ender. 

Whether employees leave the workforce to raise kids, switch careers, pursue education or manage a myriad of other interruptions, a brief break often translates into an endless struggle to get back on track. Career breaks can lead to lower salaries, lost wages and fewer opportunities for career advancement long-term. 

Yet in the wake of the pandemic and the Great Resignation, taking time away from the office is becoming more commonplace, and can even be seen as a strength. Research from LinkedIn found that 62% of employees have taken a career break at some point, and 53% say their break eventually made them better at their job. 

To get these valuable yet often overlooked employees back into the fold, insurance company Allstate is now offering a 16-week returnship program — participants receive training, education, mentorship and support, with the possibility of an eventual job offer. The company began with a pilot program in 2021 focused on tech and IT employees, and has since brought in several cohorts of returnship participants, with plans to expand to more departments. 

Read more: Getting women back to work: This company offers a return to work program after a career hiatus 

"Recruiters spend probably six or seven seconds looking at resumes, so those who have been out of the workforce eight or nine years might be overlooked," says Nikisha Thomas, HR senior manager at Allstate. "We felt like this was an area of opportunity we were missing — this program was created to identify those people and make sure we give them opportunities and make that transition as smooth as possible." 

Naga Vijaya Lakshmi Ijjada was selected for Allstate's returnship program last June. While she had worked in healthcare tech as a coder in India, a move to the U.S. coincided with health issues, and her career trajectory stalled; Ijjada spent a total of 12 years away from work. 

"I love to work and I love to code, so I couldn't just give it up," she says. "After a career gap of 12 years, I didn't see any opportunities. I just started googling, 'How to reenter your career,' and that opened a whole new path of returnships." 

While employers are heavily investing in skills training for current employees, returnship programs are still an emerging benefit. Companies like Amazon, Meta, Accenture, Pepsi and others have launched return-to-work programs targeting overlooked talent, particularly women who are returning to the workforce. 

Read more: Why the stigma surrounding career breaks is harmful to women 

These programs are even more vital in the aftermath of the pandemic, which saw more than two million women leave the workforce. While Allstate's returnship is not specifically for women, their most recent class featured eight women and one male participant, and Ijjada says she knows many women who are now participating in other returnship programs after a career break.  

Before joining Allstate's returnship program herself, Ijjada pursued training on her own, practicing and learning coding language through YouTube and LinkedIn. Once at Allstate, a supportive manager helped her navigate cultural differences and concerns she had. The support she received beyond learning technical skills was life changing. 

"On day one, when I started the training, I was so confused. Will I be able to make it? Will I be able to get back into work just like these people?" Ijjada says. "But day-by-day, my confidence increased a bit. I got introduced to the team and my manager and mentor and it got easier because of the support they gave. Now I feel like I've started a second life." 

Thomas says Allstate focused on tech workers with their pilot program, and has since launched two other classes of returnship participants. The HR team regularly touches base with other departments to assess their staffing needs, and is committed to finding new opportunities to recruit traditionally overlooked and underrepresented employees. 

"We're always trying to push the button on talent that we normally wouldn't see right away from all the applicants that apply to one of our roles," Thomas says. "We now have specific programs that target underrepresented groups that we can pull into some of these roles, and then we see a greater retention because we invest more in their development." 

Read more: Hiring strategies for a more diverse workplace

The returnships are just one program within Allstate that's focused on looking beyond a traditional career as the only ticket to entry. The company also has early career programs and internships, as well as an upskilling program for Black employees who enter the workforce without a four-year degree. 

Employers should get creative in thinking about how to bring in new talent, to both foster diversity initiatives and sustain the business long-term. Building a successful workforce looks vastly different than it used to — and it should, Thomas says. 

"I remember early in my career that it was taboo to have to explain why you were in a role for less than a year or two, or why you are job hopping," she says. "But bringing in that diverse experience is definitely going to sustain our business. We can't think that the same thing that worked 10 years ago is going to continue to work today." 

Ijjada completed the returnship program last summer and was offered a full-time position at Allstate in September. Since then, she says her confidence has continued to grow, and she implores other employers to take a chance on employees who are eager and dedicated to restarting their career path. 

"We have the talent. If you give us a little bit of a push and an opportunity, we have a lot of passion to get back to work," Ijjada says. "I want to prove myself — that feeling gets stronger and stronger day by day. When you reenter, you feel so loyal. It's a good choice for team leaders and managers."