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The pandemic brought about working from home for many industries. In doing so, the landscape of work has changed irrevocably. Many companies now have seen the benefits of home working and have brought it in as a permanent fixture, whether by hiring fully working-from-home employees or by working on a part-time home-working schedule.
A lot of people have found home-working helpful. Covid-19 is still prevalent across the globe, and home-working has helped people feel safer, whether they are particularly vulnerable or not. On top of this, many people have simply felt they can work better out of the office.
In another post on our site, ‘The Future is Flexible,’ we note that a new piece of research shows that over half of the globe (53%) want work to stay flexible, with at least half of the week working from home.
But how has home working affected diversity? Are there any groups that are impacted negatively by working-from-home?
Studies have suggested that women are likely to be disadvantaged by flexible working patterns. Although at the start of the pandemic, there was hope that working-from-home would even out some of the gender disparities seen in the workplace: notably, that both men and women would be at home to care for children, not just women. However, the post-peak pandemic move towards hybrid working seems to impact women in the workforce negatively.
This is theorised to be due to more women requesting to work at home, while more men will ask to work in the office. Typically, this is most prevalent amongst women with children or caring responsibilities.
But how are women negatively affected by home-working, and what can employers do to combat these inequalities?
Family responsibilities
Working-from-home, just as during the height of the pandemic, comes with extra difficulties. Just because some countries have seen lifting restrictions doesn’t mean those working from home don’t have to deal with very young children, children sick and off school, or elderly relatives that need caring for.
Yet, the hybrid working system is suggested to worsen things for those who take on flexible working. Research has indicated that flexible working will lead to a greater amount of work to take on, which increases the burden of domestic work upon–mainly female–workers.
The suggestion that women take on a larger burden of domestic work is not new. But this fact leads to a more significant disparity when working from home because it limits women from taking overtime and working towards a promotion.
Managerial relationships
Those who are in the office more than at home will have more chances to bond with their managers or employers. When managers see their employees in the flesh, they are more able to see the specific work they are doing, as well as their attitude, character, and the soft skills they possess.
When it comes to extra opportunities or promotions, it makes it easier for them to choose people they have seen around the office, who they can trust to act in a certain expected way. If more men are in office than women, women will likely miss out on these opportunities or promotions.
Working from home could mean that women may struggle to progress within their careers as quickly as men.
Decision-making
Many of these issues surround the big question: who is in the office? We expect (and have found so far) that more men volunteer to go into the office. Therefore, when spontaneous decision-making meetings happen in the office, who is more likely to get pulled into them? Men.
Women, at home, and cut off from these critical yet unexpected meetings, won’t be able to influence key areas of the business. Nor will they be able to impress the higher-ups and progress in their careers.
How can employers combat these issues?
We’ve pointed out some of the struggles women face in a hybrid workforce; the next question is, how do we fix it?
Over the past twenty years, great strides have been made to bring more equality to women in the workforce, and it can feel quite disheartening to have a lot of that work undone by the pandemic. Employers must listen to women bringing forward these issues and do something to help the disparity lessen, if not disappear entirely.
Look to the data
Many of the issues with progression stem from the fact that more women will struggle to gain valuable relationships with people in power, cutting them off from promotion. There is a simple way to resolve this: to base promotions and opportunities on output, not on relationships.
To do this, employers will have to look to data, not to soft skills. That’s not to say character and soft skills aren’t key aspects of who should get a job, but it shouldn’t be an employer’s starting point. Instead, look to the data, call candidates for an interview, and see if they possess the soft skills you need.
Listen to your employees
The best way to figure out if people–specifically women–are suffering under hybrid working is to ask them. Whether this is done by one-to-one meetings, surveys, or focus groups, listening to your employees can help you identify which specific problems your workplace is facing.
When employees feel they aren’t being listened to, they might think that their new job didn’t work out and look for better employment elsewhere. It’s always best to listen at a starting point, no matter the situation.
Train your managers on the new system
If you want your workplace to be truly equal, you need every company level to be well-trained. Your managers–those who will be dealing most closely with hybrid workers–need to be up-to-date on each employee’s status, as well as knowledgeable on issues that face hybrid workers. It’s wise to put managers on courses regarding burnout, work/life balance, stress and anxiety, and more generally on inequality.
How to bring equality to the hybrid workplace
Hybrid working is still relatively new, and we won’t know the long-term impacts for a long time. For now, though, it’s essential to keep an eye on your female workers and listen to them when they raise problems.
