Bouncing back

A career break can knock your confidence. Here’s how to feel better about stepping back into work

If you’ve ever taken a period of time away from your job, you may have experienced a dip in confidence or rise in anxiety, on your first day back at work. A break of any length can shake your faith in your own capabilities or leave you feeling ‘out of the loop’, research has shown. It doesn’t matter whether you’ve been off for a couple of weeks due to sickness, bereavement or holiday, or for a longer period to start a family, care for relatives, undergo medical treatment or travel. When the time comes to go back to work, it’s perfectly normal to feel nervous or uncertain. You might be worried that things have changed in your absence, that you’ve missed important training sessions or updates, that favourite colleagues have left or new faces have started. Most workplaces are in constant flux, after all. But catching up doesn’t have to knock your confidence.

Why do I doubt myself?

If you’re unsure about going into the office after time out, you’re not alone. A report commissioned by Vodafone UK found that a third of all people returning to work after a break experienced reduced confidence – and this was twice as prevalent among women, who may be more likely to take career breaks for maternity leave, family reasons or caring for elderly relatives.