Story at a glance
- More women than men place an importance on flexible work place conditions.
- Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, many companies have pivoted to completely remote work, while some efforts to force employees back to the office have been met with resistance.
- Although the poll did not specify reasons behind the gender differences, women complete a disproportionate amount of unpaid work — like child care— and flexible schedules may help these workers better balance personal and professional demands.
More than half of U.S. women workers prefer working from home to the office, compared with 44 percent of U.S. men. Women are also more likely to prioritize flexible work hours and locations compared with their male co-workers, according to new results of a YouGov poll.
The COVID-19 pandemic forced many companies to implement work from home policies beginning in March 2020 to help stop the spread of the pandemic. But what may have first been introduced as a temporary shift now seems to be preferred by many U.S. workers.
The YouGov survey included responses from 4,000 American adults in the labor force who completed the survey in the spring and summer of 2022.
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Overall, half of workers considered flexible working hours ‘very important’ in a job, while 38 percent said the same about a flexible work location.
However, preferences differed based on gender. While 44 percent of men considered flexible working hours ‘very important,’ this total rose to 57 percent among women surveyed. Forty-four percent of women said the same about a flexible work location compared with just 33 percent of male workers.
“Given these gender differences, businesses that support flexibility with voluntary office work policies are likely to have the broadest positive engagement from workers,” authors wrote.
When it comes to the specifics of work location, 64 percent of all respondents preferred a hybrid location or to remain fully remote. Only 36 percent preferred a job that solely takes place at their employer’s location.
Although the poll did not examine specific reasons behind the gender differences, numerous reports published throughout the pandemic detailed the disproportionate toll unpaid work took on women.
This work could include child care, household tasks and elderly care, and women in the workforce may prefer more flexible working conditions to better meet these demands.
Additional research found the increased unpaid work was associated with poor mental health among women.
The YouGov findings also follow a McKinsey report published last month that found women leaders switched jobs at the highest rate ever recorded in 2021, outpacing that of men in leadership roles.
One of the main drivers of this shift was demand for increased flexibility. Additional factors included seeking out employer commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, along with challenges they faced when advancing at their current companies. The McKinsey findings also found a majority of women prefer remote and hybrid work.
“The Covid-19 crisis and racial reckoning of 2020 pushed corporate America to reimagine the way we work. Two and a half years in, employees don’t want to return to the workplace of the past. They want to move forward,” authors wrote at the time.
“Companies that rise to the moment will attract and retain women leaders—and this will lead to a better workplace for everyone.”
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