Could hybrid working hold back women’s careers?

Hybrid working arrangements could hold back women’s career progression as research finds that employers are overlooking those who spend more time working from home. 

This affects women more than male workers, as the former are more likely to choose flexible hours or work from home for childcare reasons. 

Male managers are more likely to mostly or completely work from the office (48% vs 38%), according to a survey of 1,300 managers from the Chartered Management Institute (CMI).

So far, 40% of managers surveyed have already observed opinion or behaviours suggesting an inequality between those who work flexibly and those who do not. Female managers were more likely than their male counterparts to believe hybrid working could negatively affect career progression, reported The Guardian.

“Women could end up in a lose-lose situation if employers aren’t careful, needing to balance work and home life through flexible working but missing out on many opportunities that arise through in-person office interaction. That is intolerable and damaging for women and employers alike,” warned Anthony Painter, the director of policy at the CMI.

READ: Remote work does not impede career progression

In line with CMI findings, a Deloitte Women at Work report found that 60% of female hybrid workers felt they had been excluded from meetings, while almost half worried that they did not get the exposure to leaders necessary for career progression.