If you’re sorting through emails and sipping your morning coffee in a downtown high-rise, there’s a good chance you’re a man—or at least surrounded by them. Per the Wall Street Journal, new surveys suggest men are flocking back to the office post-Covid more than women, and researchers warn that this widening gender gap could push women out of the race for promotions.
A Labor Department survey released last month found that the percentage of men working remotely in 2024 dropped to 29% from 34% the year before, while the share of women (36%) working from home stayed the same:
- Even as many companies that demanded five-day commutes have settled for some form of a hybrid model, workers who show face tend to be rewarded the most.
- 86% of CEOs in a recent KPMG survey said they would favor employees they see around the office for raises and promotions.
Women and men still rank WFH flexibility higher than traditional benefits like parental leave and health insurance—but men continue to benefit from it more in terms of career advancement, experts say.
Big picture: Employers with strict RTO policies are making their workforces less diverse at a time when many of the same companies are rolling back DEI pledges or shedding employees after pandemic-era hiring booms.—MM