Everyone is well aware of the significant shift the American workplace was subjected to at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic — remote work. Working from home provides a slew of benefits to employees, such as eliminating long commutes, scheduling flexibility and a better work-life balance.
Despite millions of Americans working remotely, it’s still a relatively new phenomenon, so there’s little data to highlight the effects of remote work on employees, particularly regarding their gender. Is it possible that remote work impacts men and women differently? Why should women push for more remote work opportunities?
Remote Work — A Norm in Today’s Business Landscape
Before the pandemic, remote work was considered a laid-back version of in-office work. In fact, only 6% of people worked from home and 75% never worked from home. Once the pandemic took hold, it became unsafe to work in an office and remote work quickly became a safeguard against layoffs or business closures.
New technologies allowed workers to fulfill their job requirements from the comfort of their own homes. It was understandable that employers worried about productivity. As a result, it became more widely accepted to track employees’ working hours using the latest software or require them to clock in and out for the day.
As the pandemic progressed, it became clear that remote work yields the same — if not better — productivity compared to in an office. The percentage of people working from home has skyrocketed since the pandemic, with many finding it a much more agreeable job setting than a commercial building.
Why Should Women Endorse Remote Work?
As a woman, working in an office comes with its fair share of challenges. The pay gap, potential sexual harassment and perpetual stereotypes about female employees are still present, even in modern offices.
While a lot of progress has been made to give women a fair shot at succeeding in the workplace, women still face obstacles in their daily jobs. It’s possible that remote work might help solve these ongoing issues. Here are four key reasons why women should endorse remote work and continue to ask for remote work opportunities from their employers.
Making Private Choices
Not every woman is a mother, but there are plenty of women who take on the roles of being a breadwinner and a parent. There are also a lot of women who could become mothers as they progress through their careers. Remote work can help support women who are mothers in making the best choices for their children.
For instance, they can decide when and how to feed their children during the day. Women can breastfeed or pump at home without receiving glares from other staff members, going into the bathroom or feeling uncomfortable. Additionally, female employees with children are better able to save money on childcare costs if they can manage working from home, remaining productive while also caring for their children.
Breaking Down Physical Feature Barriers
People judge men and women for their physical stature. If someone is tall in the workplace, others often see them as demanding, authoritative and intimidating — they might even earn more annually. People who are short might be perceived as weak or they may go unseen or unheard in important meetings.
Working remotely removes some of the bias that comes with working in person. Other team members, bosses or clients cannot judge women based on their stature, whether they’re tall, short or of average height. There’s no longer room for these types of biases in the workplace. Women and men of different races, backgrounds, heights and weights all deserve respect and should be treated accordingly.
Getting the Chance to Communicate Equally
Some technologies became more widely used due to the remote work trend, such as video conferencing and instant messaging apps. These tools allow for effective communication between workers, enabling them to collaborate on projects and complete assignments on time.
Women should feel inclined to push for remote work so their voices can be heard. Like the point described above, women’s voices are sometimes silenced in the workplace. Communicating equally can help women feel empowered to share their bold ideas, use their creativity and contribute value to their companies.
Women Should Promote Remote Work Opportunities
This is by no means an exhaustive list of reasons why women should push for remote work, but they provide some insight into why remote work benefits women. Gender-based differences in the workplace did not go away due to the increasing number of American employees working remotely. If anything, the remote work trend spotlighted some of the shortcomings women experienced while working in offices.
It’s crucial for both men and women to enjoy their remote working experiences and environments, as it will make for more inclusive workplaces. Women should feel encouraged to ask for remote work or hybrid working environments to strike a good work-life balance and feel fulfilled in their careers.
WRITTEN BY
Devin Partida