Why is the Career Returners Indicator (CRI) Research important? 

This is a once-a-year opportunity for you to share your valuable insights about your return-to-work experiences. By participating in this survey, you will help us to make meaningful changes to positively impact the returner community. Your feedback will play a crucial role in enhancing our support services to our returner community, and in providing data to inform employers, professional bodies, government and the media.

This is your chance to give us your opinions on topics including:

• How challenging are you finding it to return to a professional role?
• Do you think that employers value the skills and experiences gained during career breaks?
• If you are looking to return to your previous sector, how possible do you believe this to be?
• What’s your preferred form of flexibility? 

Rewards for supporting our Research

As a thank you for everyone who participates, you will receive a free Mini-Guide: “How to stay motivated along the Return to Work journey”. The survey will be open until 31 March 2026.

Who should complete the Survey?

Anyone returning to work after a career break, whether you’re just thinking about returning or actively seeking opportunities (note: not those who have already started back at work). We want to hear from as many returners as possible, to give us a robust data sample. 

Uses of the Data

All responses will be collated, anonymised and summarised in an online report: the Career Returners Indicator 2026. We will share the final report with employers, the UK Government, professional associations and on our website and on social media.

With this data, we can better reduce bias against career gaps, transform workplace cultures and create opportunities for all.

We greatly appreciate your time to strengthen our research and support us in our mission to remove the career break penalty.

You can view last year’s Career Returners Indicator report here