How Fast Can Investing in Early Career Women Pays Off?

 By Tanya Andrews, Founder of Trellis Collective

When companies think about investing in talent development, one of the biggest questions is: How quickly will we see a return on this investment?

For many businesses, professional development programs can feel like a long game, something that delivers results years down the track. But when it comes to early career women, the speed of return on investment (ROI) is significantly faster than most leaders realise.

The reality is that structured development, especially in the critical first five years, has a range of immediate, medium-term, and long-term benefits. And those benefits don’t just impact the individuals participating, they create a ripple effect that strengthens the entire business.

Short-Term ROI: Immediate Gains in Engagement and Performance

The first measurable impact of investing in early career women is behavioural change, and it happens quickly. When women receive targeted development, the shift in how they show up at work is often visible within weeks.

By the end of our 12-week structured development program (First Five), we typically see:

• Increased confidence: Women contribute more in meetings, put their ideas forward, and engage more actively in their roles. The hesitation that often characterises the early career phase begins to fade.
• Stronger communication skills: They navigate workplace conversations with more clarity and self-assurance. This includes everything from sharing feedback to negotiating tasks or advocating for their needs.
• Higher participation rates: They seek out learning opportunities, mentorship, and professional development. They ask more questions, volunteer for projects, and take more initiative.

Business Impact: Higher engagement, increased productivity, and more proactive employees who integrate into teams faster. These early indicators build stronger team dynamics and contribute to better business performance.

Medium-Term ROI: Retention, Leadership Growth, and Employer Brand Strength

Within 3–5 years, the business benefits deepen. This is where we see a strong correlation between structured early development and long-term retention.

At this stage, the women who received early career training are:

• More likely to stay with the company rather than seeking external opportunities. They have clarity around their goals and a clear sense of belonging.
• Actively mentoring and supporting the next wave of early career hires. They become internal role models, helping others grow and creating a culture of support.
• Demonstrating early leadership potential, taking on stretch assignments, managing small teams or projects, and increasing their professional visibility within the business.

They’re not just surviving, they’re building momentum.

Business Impact: Reduced turnover costs, an emerging leadership pipeline, and a stronger reputation as an employer that genuinely supports women in the workplace. This pays dividends in recruitment and retention, helping attract future talent.

Long-Term ROI: A Sustainable Talent Pipeline and Lasting Industry Change

Beyond 5+ years, the impact of early career investment becomes even clearer. These women, who once questioned whether they belonged in the industry, are now the leaders shaping its future.

Here’s what we see:

• More women in senior leadership roles, because they were supported from the start. They bring lived experience, long-term insight, and a deep understanding of the organisation’s culture and goals.
• Something about a honed ability to set and hold boundaries, challenge ideas and drive ambitious initiatives forward, rooted in a deep acknowledgment of their value and contribution 
• A more diverse and inclusive workplace, reducing gender-based attrition. As representation increases, so does psychological safety and team performance.
• A company culture that attracts more female talent, creating a self-sustaining cycle of retention and growth. When women see other women succeed, they are more likely to see themselves thriving in the same environment.

Business Impact: A resilient talent pipeline, improved gender representation at all levels, and stronger overall company performance. This creates strategic advantages across innovation, decision-making, and market appeal.

The Theory of Change: Why Early Investment Matters

The logic behind this is simple: if you invest in foundational skills early, the long-term benefits multiply.

When women are equipped early in their careers with the tools to communicate, advocate, navigate complexity, and build confidence, everything else is built on a stronger foundation. Leadership development becomes more effective. Mentorship has more impact. Retention strategies gain traction.

Early career is the moment where confidence is still forming. If that foundation is shaky, every step forward takes more effort. But when that foundation is strong, everything that follows is faster, more stable, and more sustainable.

At Trellis, we see it play out again and again: when businesses choose to invest in early career women, they aren’t waiting years to see the benefits. They’re seeing stronger teams, better performance, and clearer progression: right now.

So the question isn’t “Can we afford to invest in early career women?”

It’s “Can we afford not to?”