No Result
View All Result
Benefits Expert
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Alerts
  • Events
  • Contact
  • NEWS
  • IN DEPTH
  • PROFILE
  • PENSIONS
  • GLOBAL REWARDS
  • FINANCIAL BENEFITS
  • HEALTH & WELLBEING
  • DIVERSITY & INCLUSION
  • PODCAST
No Result
View All Result
Benefits Expert
  • NEWS
  • IN DEPTH
  • PROFILE
  • PENSIONS
  • GLOBAL REWARDS
  • FINANCIAL BENEFITS
  • HEALTH & WELLBEING
  • DIVERSITY & INCLUSION
  • PODCAST

Invisible no more: how a returners’ programme is transforming work for midlife women

by Claire Churchard
11/11/2024
Jacquie Duckworth, co-founder and head of Visible Start at Visible Inc
Share on LinkedInShare on Twitter

“I was getting very frustrated that the first round of redundancies were midlife women. They were always, it seemed to me, the first to go,” says Jacquie Duckworth, co-founder and head of Visible Start at Visible Inc.

Her company was formed in response to the issue that if midlife women, a term that applies to women aged 45+, find themselves out of work it can be difficult to get back into a career role irrespective of expertise or experience. 

The noticeable deficit of women in this age group in senior business roles is counter intuitive as this group wields substantial economic power. Research from Accenture found that midlife women are behind 90 percent of all household spending decisions, so people with a first hand knowledge of what drives these decisions can be a business asset.

Midlife invisibility
Duckworth spent most of her career in magazines, national press, outdoor events and digital until she was made redundant at the age of 45.

“I realised that I wasn’t going to get a permanent job, so I freelanced for 10 years on the commercial side, being very unprecious in terms of any roles that I can do. I developed a reputation for crisis management, maternity covers, and any kind of assessment in terms of where products and brands needed to go within media owned organisations. 

During this time she met fellow co-founder Jane Evans, who despite having a prestigious career, including being regional creative director for JWT and winning multiple awards, found that she couldn’t get work in a creative position.

As a midlife woman, Evans said she had become “completely invisible” to the advertising industry. Her reaction was: “If I can become invisible, what hope do other women have?” 

Unleash the power
As a result, Visible Inc launched with the goal to “unleash the power of midlife women” and change the narrative for all women.

The Visible Start return to work programme is a key element of this. It focuses on supporting midlife women and has already enjoyed success with sponsor WPP, a major advertising agency.

RELATED POSTS

Steve Herbert, consultant, ambassador, reward, benefits, HR strategy

Systemic shake-up: it takes HR to do things right

Sam Seaton, CEO, CAPAdata.com, pensions, scrutiny, transparency, value for money, pensions schemes bill

Pensions transparency enters new phase as CAPAdata launches platform with trailblazer CEO

Launched in 2021, the eight week returners’ programme is free for women in this age group and is available online to ensure flexible, convenient access. For employers it represents a recruitment campaign that helps them engage with a largely untapped pool of talent, while also supporting their corporate diversity and inclusion goals. 

Training covers transferable skills, how to thrive in a workplace that may be radically different from the last one they experienced, upgrading and updating professional skills and, perhaps most importantly, support to get a job at the end of it. 

Mark Reid, CEO of WPP, endorsed the programme and as part of this the employer has an agreement that it will ensure there are 20 roles for these women to apply for when they finish the training. As a result of that, more than 32 women have been successfully employed at WPP. 

The relationship each woman has with the programme doesn’t end once they have completed it, Duckworth says.

“We’ve created a community platform called Visible Society and it has 1,250 midlife women who use it. It’s a safe space to reach out and connect with each other.”

She adds: “It’s wonderful to see how these women who felt isolated, washed up, and who had no self confidence, have turned things around during the programme and now believe in themselves again.

“The course has given them a voice and belief and hope. It’s been a huge success, so we are expanding it to work with more employers.”

  • You can hear more from Jacquie Duckworth on the topic of recruiting from untapped talent pools, diversity and equality and what the future of flexible work could look like as she is speaking at the Benefits Expert Summit 26-27 November.
  • To attend the event, visit the Benefits Expert Summit website to register.

Next Post
pension

Rules for commercial pensions dashboards revealed by FCA, but still no roll out date

UK pound sterling, inflation, money, pay benefits wages cost pensions

Public sector pay awards surpass ‘plateauing’ private sector

SUMMIT

BENEFITS UNBOXED PODCAST

Benefits Unboxed
Benefits Unboxed

The podcast from Benefits Expert, the title for HR, reward and benefits professionals.

Seasoned professionals examine the challenges and innovations in today’s employee benefits, reward and HR sector. Every episode, they will unbox a key issue and unpack what it really means for employers and how they can tackle it.

The regulars are Claire Churchard, editor of Benefits Expert; Carole Goldsmith, HR director at the Royal Horticultural Society, and Steve Herbert, consultant and rewards & benefits veteran.

Benefits Unboxed – Wellbeing: HR is supporting everyone, but who’s supporting HR?
byBenefits Expert from Definite Article Media

As the professionals responsible for helping their organisations navigate NI hikes, rising employee stress levels and looming redundancies, the pressure on HR, reward and benefits teams has never been greater. 

HR is expected to lead with strength and compassion. But who is supporting the supporters?

In this episode of Benefits Unboxed, co-hosts Claire Churchard, Carole Goldsmith and Steve Herbert explore the emotional and ethical pressures HR face today, from managing redundancies to implementing complex legislation. They discuss why HR’s own wellbeing may not be the first topic of conversation, the risks that poses to employers, and the practical steps businesses can take to better support the wellbeing of the people who support everyone else.

This conversation shines a light on the resilience of the profession and why looking after HR is not just the right thing to do, but a business imperative.

Benefits Unboxed – Wellbeing: HR is supporting everyone, but who’s supporting HR?
Benefits Unboxed – Wellbeing: HR is supporting everyone, but who’s supporting HR?
22/05/2025
Benefits Expert from Definite Article Media
Search Results placeholder

GUIDE TO CASH PLANS



CLICK TO REQUEST A FREE COPY

OPINION

Steve Herbert, consultant, ambassador, reward, benefits, HR strategy

Systemic shake-up: it takes HR to do things right

Chris Andrew, EVP, Gallagher

Rewriting the deal: how hybrid and remote work is changing EVPs

Pat Sharman, Everyone Matters

What CEOs don’t know about workplace culture, but should

Jo Werker, CEO, Boostworks

Six proactive ways HR can build a happier, healthier workplace

SUBSCRIBE

Benefits Expert

© 2024 Definite Article Limited. Design by 71 Media Limited.

  • About
  • Advertise
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Contact

Follow Benefits Expert

No Result
View All Result
  • News
  • In depth
  • Profile
  • Pensions
  • Global rewards
  • Financial benefits
  • Health & wellbeing
  • Diversity & Inclusion