Hybrid work empowering women in the workforce

When it comes to making career decisions, the option of hybrid working has allowed over half of female employees (53%) to apply for more senior positions within their organisation.

The flexibility that hybrid working offers has been deemed essential by almost 80% of women, who believe that it has given them the opportunity to apply for such positions. They also believe that hybrid working has acted as an equaliser in the workplace, reducing biases associated with gender, race, or other factors.

These were key findings from IWG’s Empowering Women in the Hybrid Workplace Report, which revealed that globally, hybrid working has had a significant impact on women’s career choices, leading many to switch jobs and even industries to gain access to hybrid working arrangements. More than three in five respondents (62%) have considered applying for a new job that offers more flexible working, and almost half (48%) are considering a career change that they would not have considered before.

READ: NSW moves to empower more women in the workforce

Hybrid working has made many women more productive (58%), helped them learn about other roles within their organisation (47%) and increased their visibility with senior leadership (38%), leading to career growth. Nearly half of the respondents (47%) have said that hybrid working has allowed them to change industries together.

Hybrid working has also given women more time to pursue personal passions outside of work. Almost half of the respondents (49%) said that hybrid working has given them more time to do so, while a majority (75%) reported a better work-life balance due to reduced commuting time and costs (67%), more flexible schedules (66%), and improved mental health (44%).