North American employers, including Canada’s major banks, the Ontario government, Amazon, and Facebook, are increasingly mandating employees to return to office after years of remote work during the pandemic. These policies aim to boost collaboration, innovation, and mentorship, but new research suggests they may have unintended consequences for women in the workforce.
A study by The Conversation that surveyed 1,091 professional women in the U.S. with hybrid roles found that everyday gender discrimination — ranging from being ignored in meetings and undervalued to experiencing inappropriate comments — occurs far more frequently in the office than remotely.Â
On average, 29% of women reported discrimination while on-site, compared to just 18% when working from home. The disparities were even starker for younger women under 30, who saw incidents drop from 31% in the office to 14% remotely, and women who primarily work with men, whose exposure fell from 58% on-site to 26% remotely.
Returning to the office can expose women to repeated microaggressions that erode confidence and job satisfaction, increasing the likelihood of leaving their organizations.Â
Remote work provides a meaningful reduction in these everyday biases, but it is not without drawbacks. Being off-site can limit informal networking, mentorship, feedback, and access to high-profile assignments — all crucial for career advancement. Remote work can also blur boundaries between professional and family responsibilities.
Experts suggest that employers adopt nuanced strategies rather than treating location as inherently good or bad. Flexible remote options empower women to choose environments where they feel respected and productive.Â
In-person meetings can be redesigned to reduce bias by implementing formal agendas, structured participation, and asynchronous feedback. Some companies have successfully combined these approaches by pairing junior staff with mentors and tracking project assignments to ensure equitable opportunities.
As organizations reassess workplace policies, understanding the impact of location is critical. Decisions about where employees work influence not only gender equality but also retention, performance, and workplace culture.Â
Policies that balance the benefits of in-person interaction with the protections of remote work could reduce everyday discrimination and help women thrive professionally.
