Archive · 24 Sep 2026
Playbook Urges MSMEs to Bring Women Back After Career Breaks
Many women stop working for reasons such as childcare, health or education.
Later, they may want to find a job again.
A new guide aims to help small and medium-sized businesses hire and support them.
The guide was created by the Indian Women Network’s diversity task force in Bengal.
It explains how companies can recruit, welcome and keep returning workers.
About seven million women in India are estimated to be looking for work after a career break.
The symposium also discussed how employing more women could help businesses and the national economy.
Leaders from companies and returning professionals shared ideas about making the process easier.
The Confederation of Indian Industry’s Bengal chapter launched a return-to-work playbook for MSMEs.
The guide provides steps to recruit, onboard and retain women returning after career breaks.
An estimated seven million women in India are seeking to return to work after career breaks.
India’s female labour force participation rate was 40% in 2025, compared with 79.1% for men.
The symposium connected corporate leaders, human-resource professionals, entrepreneurs and returning women to discuss practical solutions.
- Who
- The Confederation of Indian Industry’s Indian Women Network, corporate leaders, HR professionals, entrepreneurs and women returning to work.
- What
- A symposium launched a return-to-work playbook to help MSMEs recruit, onboard and retain women after career breaks.
- When
- Saturday; the playbook cites India’s 2025 female labour force participation figures.
- Where
- The symposium was held in the city, and the initiative was developed by the Bengal chapter of the Indian Women Network.
- Why
- To help women re-enter employment and enable MSMEs to access skilled talent and support growth.
- Estimated returning women
- Seven million women in India have taken a career break and are seeking to return to work.
- Female labour force participation
- 40% in India in 2025 for people aged 15 and above, compared with 79.1% for men.
- Potential economic impact
- The World Bank estimates that raising women’s participation to 50% could increase annual GDP growth by around one percentage point.
- Women-led MSMEs in Bengal
- Bengal has 28.47 lakh women-led MSMEs, the second-highest number among Indian states.
- Hiring disadvantage
- Research cited in the playbook indicates that candidates with career breaks are 24 percentage points less likely to receive a callback.
- Guide’s focus
- Recruiting, onboarding and retaining women returning after career breaks.
- Key symposium formats
- A fireside conversation and a panel discussion examined return-to-work pathways and MSME challenges.