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Relaunching Careers With A Successful RTW Program

One of the programs towards realizing this goal is the Return to Work (RTW) initiative that enables professionals to return to work.

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The future of the work landscape rests on the bedrock of digital transformation and automation. While these trends have improved flexibility, collaboration and connectivity at the workplace, they have also led to an unprecedented impact on the skills landscape. A vast pool of talent often remains under-utilized, owing to the differences in skills required and those possessed. This is especially so in case of those looking to restart their career after a break.

In order to bridge this need-gap, it is essential to focus talent management efforts on developing initiatives that would help integrate such talent into the workplace. One of the programs towards realizing this goal is the Return to Work (RTW) initiative that enables professionals to return to work after a hiatus by matching their abilities, interests, and areas of expertise to the available job roles. Among the strong points of an RTW program is its role in building a diverse and inclusive workforce, especially in bringing women back to the workplace.

At Optum, a part of UnitedHealth Group and a leading health services and innovation company—the RTW program has given female aspirants, seeking to continue their careers after a break, a much-needed second chance. Optum is sensitive to the many challenges that women face when they return to work and has devised its RTW program keeping these sensitivities in perspective.

Let’s take a look at the journeys of women who chose to leverage the benefits of the RTW program at Optum to return to the workplace:

With extensive experience in Human Resources (HR), Swati Patwardhan took a two-year maternity break and rejoined the workforce with Optum through its RTW program. Swati is delighted with the program benefits and feels strongly about the various facets of the program that have been instrumental in bringing many like her back to work. Technology used effectively translates access, continuity, flexible hours and greater productivity because of a self-regulated commitment to be accountable.

Optum’s Life to Work transition module helps with adapting to governance; the buddy system enhances cultural understanding; networking opportunities across levels encourage meaningful conversations – allowing people like Swati to re-join the workplace, and also empowering them to stay the course.

Sangeetha Pasham had a similar journey, taking an eight-month break because of a difficult time with losing her mother and an equally joyous one giving birth to her child. Sangeetha eagerly took the opportunity that Optum’s RTW provided and is a satisfied, productive member of the workforce today. The empathy that the culture at Optum personifies is a common thread among all those that have opted for the program. Technology is the other, making it possible for women to juggle different and simultaneously important roles as stakeholders in different capacities.

The key to a successful RTW program lies in efficiently navigating the challenges through an intelligent and tech-savvy approach. This makes it possible to fill important roles with the right

skill sets—a testimony to the fact that technology coupled with empathy can pave the way for an organization that respects talent. This organizational acknowledgement can script greater success.



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