Research Finds Remote Working Women Struggle More with Work-Life Balance

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<p dir="ltr"><span>In the study </span><a href="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/"><span>Gender Differences in Remote Work</span></a><span>, researchers examined how men and women manage boundaries while working from home. The study analyzed the perception that flexible work patterns could enhance women's labor market participation. </span><b/></p>

<h2>Remote Work and Stereotypical Gender Roles</h2>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Contrary to expectations, the findings revealed that remote work often reinforces traditional gender roles. Women were found to shoulder more caregiving duties, while men reportedly maintained a clearer division between work and home life. </span><b/></p>

<a href="https://www.peoplemanagement.co.uk/article/1885315/labours-plan-work-pay-family-friendly-policies"><span>Learn about Labour’s Plan to Make Work Pay: Family-Friendly Policies</span></a>

<a href="https://www.peoplemanagement.co.uk/article/1884756/labours-plan-work-pay-equality"><span>Explore Labour’s Plan to Make Work Pay: Equality</span></a>

<a href="https://www.peoplemanagement.co.uk/article/1881631/half-workers-affected-caring-responsibilities-using-sick-days-look-loved-ones-study-finds"><span>See the Study on Workers Affected by Caring Responsibilities</span></a>

<h2>Impact on Women's Work-Life Balance</h2>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Women appreciated the flexibility to attend to family needs during work hours, while men viewed this as a work schedule conflict. </span><b/></p>

<p dir="ltr"><span>Efpraxia Zamani, an associate professor at Durham University Business School and co-author of the study, stated, “The increased flexibility from working at home has enabled women to close much of the gender gap in employment.” However, she noted that for true equality, responsibilities at home need to be more evenly shared, as women face significant burdens both at work and home.</span><b/></p>

<p dir="ltr"><span>Gemma Dale, a lecturer at Liverpool John Moores University, mentioned in </span><span>People Management </span><span>that hybrid work could be a “double-edged sword” for women. While it offers more time, this benefit is often negated by increased domestic chores. </span><b/></p>

<h2>The Double-Edged Sword of Hybrid Work</h2>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Dale added that though hybrid work could diversify the labor market by enabling people with caregiving responsibilities or those unable to work in an office to participate, it might also solidify existing stereotypes and inequalities. </span><b/></p>

<h2>Addressing Societal and HR Challenges</h2>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Liz Sebag-Montefiore, co-founder of 10Eighty, highlighted that the issue is more societal than managerial, stating, "It’s not solely a management or HR problem." She emphasized the societal expectations that typically burden women with tasks like responding to schools or managing medical appointments. </span><b/></p>

<p dir="ltr"><span>Nevertheless, she suggested that HR departments could support remote workers by offering safe spaces for sharing work-life balance strategies, implementing a 'right to disconnect' policy, and training managers to recognize early signs of reduced well-being.</span><b/></p>

<h2>HR Considerations for Remote and Hybrid Work Policies</h2>
<p dir="ltr"><span>The research also provided insights for HR managers developing remote or hybrid work policies. While working fully remotely could lead to feelings of alienation for some, it might also improve well-being and work-life balance for others. </span><b/></p>

<p dir="ltr"><span>Implementing flexible strategies, such as allowing work hours from 9-2 and 6-9, could enable better personal and family time management while meeting work requirements. </span><b/></p>

<p dir="ltr"><span>Elizabeth Willetts, founder of Investing in Women, highlighted that work and family responsibilities persist regardless of the workplace setting. She shared her personal experience, noting that remote work helps her perform tasks that would otherwise occupy her weekends. This, in turn, lets her spend quality time with family. </span><b/></p>

<h2>The Employer's Role in Supporting Remote Work</h2>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Willetts further advised employers to view remote work positively, recognizing it as a way to retain skilled women. Remote work can prevent women from reverting to lower-paid, local jobs that enable them to juggle responsibilities more effectively with adequate employer support.</span><b/></p>

<a href="https://www.cipd.org/en/knowledge/bitesize-research/networks-in-gender-equality/"><span>Read CIPD Research on Women’s Networks and Gender Equality</span></a>

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