Chasing the Exclusive 50% | Neha Lagoo Ratnakar | TEDxHotelschool The Hague
What do a surgeon, a hotel manager, a yoga teacher, and a data scientist have in common?
For many women, the answer is a career break—and the daunting challenge of returning to meaningful work. In this thought-provoking talk, Neha sheds light on the hidden barriers women face when trying to re-enter the workforce after caregiving breaks, revealing how these obstacles contribute to the alarming drop in female representation at middle management and leadership levels.Challenging the myths around ambition and career gaps, this talk explores how traditional hiring practices overlook highly skilled women simply because they have taken time off. But what if we applied business intelligence—specifically marketing strategies—to solve this problem? Drawing from personal experience and innovative recruitment approaches, Neha shares how simple shifts, like rethinking search keywords and introducing “Returnship Sprints,” can revolutionize how companies attract and retain female talent.This talk is a call to action for future leaders to rethink talent acquisition, prioritize inclusivity, and use creative business strategies to close the gender gap. Because achieving the elusive 50% isn’t just a diversity metric—it’s the key to building stronger, more innovative workplaces for all.
Neha is an author and a global learning professional. She has lived in 8 countries and has helped hundreds of women restart their careers. She also enjoys playing improv and saying “yes” to the curve balls life throws at her. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
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