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Women’s Series Pt. 2: The Impact of Remote Work

Posted 03/19/25

When Service Really Matters

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly shifted work patterns in the United States. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the percentage of people primarily working from home tripled from 5.7% in 2019 to 17.9% in 2021. This increase represents a change from roughly 9 million people to 27.6 million people working from home. While remote work has decreased since its peak during the pandemic, it remains substantially above pre-pandemic levels. In 2023, 13.8% of U.S. workers usually worked from home, which is more than twice the percentage that did so in 2019. While remote work offers flexibility, it also presents new challenges:

  1. Visibility: Women working remotely may become less visible in their organizations, potentially impacting career advancement opportunities.
  2. Proximity bias: A survey of C-suite executives found that 41% believed remote workers were less likely to be considered for promotion in their firms.
  3. Work-life balance: The increase in remote work during the pandemic exacerbated gender inequality, with women shouldering a larger share of additional care and household duties.

Keep an eye out for next week’s post, How Flex Office Space Supports Women!

Resource List

  1. U.S. Census Bureau Report on Remote Work

U.S. Census Bureau. (2022, September 15). The Number of People Primarily Working From Home Tripled Between 2019 and 2021. Retrieved from https://www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2022/people-working-from-home.html

  1. McKinsey & Company Report on COVID-19 and Gender Equality

McKinsey & Company. (2022, September 19). The COVID-19 challenge to gender equality. Retrieved from https://www.mckinsey.com/id/our-insights/the-covid-19-challenge-to-gender-equality

  1. Durham University Business School Research on Work-Life Balance

Durham University Business School. (2024, August 20). Women face greater challenges than men in balancing work and family while working remotely. Retrieved from https://www.durham.ac.uk/business/news-and-events/news/2024/august/women-face-greater-challenges-than-men-in-balancing-work-and-family-while-working-remotely/

  1. World Economic Forum Article on Remote Work for Women’s Careers

World Economic Forum. (2023, November). 3 ways remote work is a double-edged sword for women’s careers. Retrieved from https://www.weforum.org/stories/2023/11/remote-work-workplace-women-careers/

  1. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Report on Telework

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2022). Telework during the COVID-19 pandemic: Estimates using the 2021 Business Response Survey. Retrieved from https://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/2022/article/telework-during-the-covid-19-pandemic.htm

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