Return to Office Policies Risk Diversity, Experts Warn

As companies like Amazon, JPMorgan Chase, and Goldman Sachs bring workers back to the office full-time, concerns are mounting that strict office mandates could harm diversity and make it harder to attract and retain underrepresented talent. 

Research suggests that such policies disproportionately affect women, minorities, caregivers, and neurodiverse employees, potentially driving them to quit or seek more flexible opportunities elsewhere, according to The Washington Post. 

Workplace experts warn that inflexible policies could lead to a less diverse workforce over time. 

Studies from Gartner, McKinsey, and Wharton highlight that remote work options increase job applications from women and minorities, with a 2024 Wharton study showing a 33% increase in minority applicants for remote roles. 

Conversely, strict office mandates risk losing top talent, as employees — especially those with caregiving responsibilities — are forced to choose between their personal lives and their jobs.

Amazon’s shift to a five-day office mandate this year has been met with backlash, including from senior female employees who felt compelled to leave rather than relocate or give up their remote work flexibility. 

Amazon’s spokesperson claimed there was no noticeable increase in attrition due to the change, pointing to slight increases in diversity among its workforce. 

However, experts argue that such effects may be slow to show up, first appearing in the pool of job candidates.

Meanwhile, flexible companies like Pinterest, which allows workers to choose their work location, are seeing a surge in applications, including from women and diverse candidates. 

Pinterest’s flexible model has been credited with attracting and retaining diverse talent, with 68% of diverse workers and 63% of women located outside the company’s Bay Area headquarters.

For many employees, remote work provides relief from microaggressions and the need to mask their identities in the office. 

Workers like Jaya Mallik, who have experienced discrimination in the workplace, now prioritize flexibility for both personal and professional reasons. 

Caregivers, in particular, are finding that flexible work allows them to better balance their careers with their caregiving duties, with many switching jobs or starting their own businesses for this reason.

Despite these challenges, companies like Amazon remain focused on bringing workers back to the office to strengthen company culture and productivity. However, workplace experts caution that the hidden costs of such mandates, including lost diversity and the risk of alienating valuable employees, may outweigh the benefits of a more traditional office setting.