Case Study: Sara Lee Corporation—Recruiting and Retaining Top Talent With Returnships

Sara Lee’s Returnship program was launched in 2009 as part of an initiative to attract and retain mid-level career professionals interested in re-entering the workforce after an extended leave. The program allows people to re-engage with the corporate world through flexible, meaningful work while simultaneously allowing them to “test the waters” before seeking regular employment. Returnships are open to both women and men, but Sara Lee recruits heavily for women in order to draw members of this largely untapped talent pool to the company.