IWD 2025: Building pathways for women’s career comeback

“My hope for the future is a workplace where everyone has the opportunity to thrive at every stage of their career and life journey. A future where leadership is based on talent, not tenure, and where technology and AI enable all individuals to succeed.” – Melissa Kee, Chief People Officer, Temus

The traditional linear career path is rapidly evolving, with career breaks becoming increasingly common. This shift has spotlighted the valuable talent pool of professionals seeking to re-enter the workforce, particularly women. Organisations are beginning to recognise the unique perspectives and resilience these individuals bring. As we anticipate International Women’s Day 2025 and its theme, “Accelerate Action”, the focus on supporting their reintegration is more critical than ever.

To explore this critical topic, HRM Asia spoke with Melissa Kee, Chief People Officer at Temus, to delve into the practicalities of supporting women re-entering the workforce. Drawing on her 30 years of experience, Kee offers actionable insights for HR leaders, addressing the evolving challenges, women’s unique strengths, and the impact of programmes like Temus’ Step IT Up.

With over 30 years of experience across various industries, how have you seen the challenges for women re-entering the workforce evolve? What are some hurdles women face, and how can organisations support them in overcoming these challenges?

Melissa Kee: Throughout my career, I’ve witnessed significant progress and persistent challenges around women re-entering the workforce. To drive greater action, organisations need to take deliberate steps to ensure a smoother transition for women.

Women take career breaks for various reasons such as caring for newborns, spending more time with their children and pursuing other interests. However, it’s important to acknowledge that parenting is not just a mother’s responsibility. We need a change in mindset because it takes an entire village to raise a child. Organisations can support this by building strong community support through mentorship programmes, peer networks, and affinity groups that aid career reintegration and long-term success. By making these intentional changes, we can create a more equitable workforce where women can thrive at every stage of their life journey.

There also needs to be a shift in mindset that every talent matters and not to overlook skilled professionals due to career breaks. Unconscious bias, however, still exists and hinders women’s re-entry by making assumptions about their skill, commitment and ambition. Organisations need to proactively implement structured return programmes, hire based on skill and provide bias training for hiring managers to build a truly inclusive and productive workforce.

Finally, there is a need to move beyond static work models and focus on embracing flexibility and evaluating actual results rather than the number of hours worked. Flexibility allows women, as well as all employees, to contribute meaningfully without needing to compromise on their commitments. Organisations can support women re-entering the workforce by equipping them with the right skills and providing upskilling opportunities and continuous learning opportunities to boost their confidence and capability in today’s increasingly digital economy.

What qualities and strengths do women often bring to the workplace, particularly when re-entering after a career break, and how can organisations recognise and leverage these strengths to create a more diverse and high-performing workforce?

Kee: Women bring unique qualities and strengths to the workplace, especially after a career break. Their professional and personal experiences contribute to richer perspectives, stronger solutions and a more inclusive team dynamic.

Their fresh perspectives, shaped by their experiences, are invaluable in understanding customer needs, fostering innovation and improving decision making. Employers can build a more diverse workforce by encouraging different viewpoints and non-linear career paths.

Career breaks often require resilience and adaptability – qualities that returning women demonstrate through agility, problem-solving skills and the ability to navigate change. These strengths are essential in the workplace, and organisations need to leverage them by providing women with opportunities for leadership roles and decision-making.

Additionally, women who balance multiple roles tend to develop strong emotional intelligence and a collaborative leadership style. This improves team cohesion, strengthens stakeholder relationships and creates more inclusive workplaces. Employers can harness this by creating mentorship programmes and leadership pathways that drive real impact for women. Similarly, returning women excel at managing priorities effectively. Employers can benefit by providing greater autonomy and trusting employees to deliver results based on impact.

Organisations need to move from passive inclusion to actively creating pathways for returning women to contribute fully and grow to leverage these strengths. A diverse and high-performing workforce values all experiences, perspectives, and contributions. By embracing women’s strengths, organisations can drive innovation, improve team performance and achieve collective success.

Can you tell us more about the Step IT Up programme and how it helps people, including women, explore careers in tech? What are some success stories from the programme?

Kee: Step IT Up is an accelerated talent conversion programme to hire, train and place individuals with no prior technology experience into technology roles at Temus. It addresses the growing demand for digital talent in today’s rapidly evolving digital economy. By equipping locals with the right skills and knowledge, Step IT Up empowers them to contribute to Singapore’s digital transformation efforts across the public and private sectors.

Our latest recruitment drive is underway, and we invite fresh graduates and mid-career switchers who are Singaporeans or permanent residents eager to explore careers in the technology sector to apply. We welcome women from all stages of life and non-tech backgrounds, including stay-at-home mums or those looking to re-enter the tech industry to explore and discover their potential through the programme.

Eileen Tan is one of our many success stories. After five years as a stay-at-home mother of three, she decided to join Step IT Up and explore a new career path. The programme allowed her to explore a dynamic new career and develop essential digital and life skills, such as resilience and adaptability. Eileen graduated in 2024 and is now a full-time Digital Business Analyst.

Fabian Balachandran, another graduate from our third cohort, joined Step IT Up after working in the aviation industry and having a polytechnic background in engineering. He saw the programme as a platform to transition into technology, having first developed a passion as a digital business analyst while testing applications in his previous company. With the help of his coaches, Fabian developed not just technical skills but also personal and soft skills, which have been instrumental in his growth as a Business Analyst.

With the IWD 2025 theme being “Accelerate Action”, how does that resonate with you regarding workplace equality and leadership, and what are your hopes and aspirations for women in tech?

Kee: The theme “Acceleration Action” is a powerful reminder to move beyond conversations and drive real change. This means we need to start valuing every talent and removing unconscious biases that may hinder women’s progress.

Organisations need to move away from outdated structures and actively foster a flexible and inclusive workplace that is invested in developing talent, which ultimately increases productivity and agility for our workforce.

As we shape the future of work, human-centred AI will play a crucial role in empowering individuals and teams to work more efficiently, make data-driven decisions, and unlock new opportunities for innovation. By integrating AI to complement human skills rather than replace them, we can collectively enhance collaboration, improve workforce adaptability, and upskill talent—regardless of gender or career background.

Today, technology enables us with powerful tools to be more efficient and effective in team and project management. It allows managers to use data-driven insights to track progress, make informed decisions, implement targeted initiatives, and foster a culture of continuous learning. Through strong mentorship or sponsorship programmes and the strategic use of AI-driven workforce solutions, we can break barriers and promote equal opportunities for women, helping shape the future of technology and leadership.

My hope for the future is a workplace where everyone has the opportunity to thrive at every stage of their career and life journey. A future where leadership is based on talent, not tenure, and where technology and AI enable all individuals to succeed.

We need the collective efforts of everyone, not just women, to achieve workplace equality. When we work together, we can champion inclusivity, advocate for diverse talent and create workplaces where all voices are heard and valued.

To accelerate action, we must go beyond intention and challenge outdated norms, embrace human-centred AI and new ways of working and ensure workplaces empower everyone to contribute, lead and innovate.

When everyone has a seat at the table, we have achieved not just gender equality but strong businesses and a more inclusive world. The time for action is now. Let’s move forward together!