Hybrid Work Mode Impacts Women Employees: Report

A recent study by New LEAD surveyed 400 working women, of whom 150 were working in a hybrid model. As per the survery, 71 per cent of women chose to work hybrid. In the western parts of the country, 84 per cent of women chose the hybrid model, while 42 per cent chose the in-person option from the eastern region.

The report indicates that certain sectors are more hybrid-work friendly than others. 55 per cent of hybrid workers belonged to technology, pharma and biotech, and business and consulting services sectors. The report states that women respondents claimed an improvement in personal finances due to the work-from-home model. It also attributed to a drop in expenditure on commute and other expenses. Smaller organisations preferred the daily in-person work model, whereas mid-sized companies preferred the fully remote work option.

Nearly a third of the women from the sample group reported difficulty in adapting to new technology used by their organisation for hybrid working. Infrastructure is also a key challenge for many who work in non-metropolitan areas. Disparity of resources at home to equip an office setup also adds to the disadvantage.

50 per cent of hybrid workers opine that women’s promotions are negatively affected in a hybrid model as compared to their male counterparts. 44 per cent perceive a similar negative effect on networking opportunities available to women employees. Women reported that those who enjoy the flexibility to work from home also face a higher gender bias. The unequal burden of unpaid chores on the home front continues to persist in hybrid work models. A gender specialist makes note that while women are expected to multitask with work, home, children and elderly care, the same expectations are not held for men when they are working from home. Also, the expectations are not always imposed by others; sometimes they are self-imposed by the women themselves.