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Return to office mandates by major employers are creating a widening gap between men and women’s work patterns, as more women opt to remain remote while men return to physical workplaces.
The shift raises concerns about the long-term impact on career progression and workplace equality.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 36% of employed women reported working from home in the past year, a rate that remains unchanged from the year prior. Among men, that figure dropped to 29%, compared to 34% the year before.
Although the share of women working remotely has stayed consistent, labor force participation among women has grown. Currently, 77.7% of working-age women are active in the workforce. That growth has been tied to the rise of hybrid and remote models, which gained popularity following the pandemic.
Research from the Brookings Institution indicates that remote roles are especially prevalent among parents of young children. Among all groups, mothers with children under five are the most likely to be working fully remotely.
Flexible work helps offset caregiving burden
Advocates say the preference reflects the reality of domestic responsibilities. “If I had a traditional 9-to-5 or 8:30-to-5:30 job and I had to be in the office, it wouldn’t be possible. I’d be paying for before-school care. I’d be paying for after-school care. It just wouldn’t logistically work,” working mother and advocate Paige Connell told Fortune.
Paula Faris, founder of CARRY Media, said such barriers are the driving force behind the desire for flexibility. She warned that office-based reward systems may worsen existing disparities: “A lot of mothers may have no choice but to stay home because they can’t find or afford childcare. And of course, it’s the woman that’s going to have to stay home because she’s making less compared to working fathers. That’s the motherhood penalty.”
In-office rewards risk compounding inequity
Despite continued demand for remote work, particularly among women, employers are reinforcing in-office expectations. Companies including Apple, Meta, Google, and JPMorgan Chase have rolled out formal return-to-office mandates. A KPMG survey found that 86% of CEOs plan to reward employees who are physically present with promotions, raises or high-profile assignments.
Surveys from Stanford University and Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México show that women have consistently favored remote work by a five-point margin over the past five years. At the same time, women working remotely receive less feedback and mentorship than male counterparts.
Faris warned that without intervention, in-office incentives may keep women from climbing the leadership ladder or even staying in the workforce.
