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:
- Visibility: Women working remotely may become less visible in their organizations, potentially impacting career advancement opportunities.
- 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.
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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/
- 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/
- 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