Original Coverage & Source Attribution: today.ucsd.edu
Article Content
Remote and hybrid work became the norm after the COVID-19 pandemic, but more workplaces, like Amazon, JPMorgan Chase, Disney and even the federal government have mandated that employees return to offices in recent years. But not all employees are returning at the same rate. A recent U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics survey reveals that the share of employed people who spent time working at home on days worked was about the same in 2024 (33 percent) as in 2023 (35 percent). However, the share of men who spent some time working at home decreased from 34 percent in 2023 to 29 percent in 2024, while the share of women who did so remained the same at 36 percent. In fact, other data suggests that some women have left the workforce altogether due to return-to-office requirements.
What’s striking about women who are opting to work from home more than men is that it also means many women may be at a growing disadvantage. Recent research reveals that face-time at the office is more likely to lead to pay raises and bonuses, promotions, and other perks like better assignments and career visibility.
So what does this mean for women?
“One possible reason why women are not returning to the office as much as men are is that they may value that remote and hybrid work provides greater flexibility more than men do,” said Elizabeth L. Campbell, assistant professor of management at the UC San Diego Rady School of Management, who studies gender differences in the workplace. “Despite progress society has made toward gender equity broadly, women still shoulder the bulk of childcare and elder care, and remote/hybrid work makes it easier to balance these additional caregiving responsibilities with a job.”
Elizabeth Lyons, an associate professor of management at the UC San Diego School of Global Policy and Strategy, added “Fewer women physically present in the office could raise red flags — especially if that leads to gaps in recognition or advancement, even when performance is equal.”
Lyons is an expert on remote work trends and who co-founded the firm Amplisal, which helps companies manage and adapt with hybrid and all remote work policies.
Campbell and Lyons recently spoke with University Communications about what these trends mean — and how employers and employees alike can work to close the career gap that’s emerging in the return-to-office era.
