6 remote work gender discrimination facts

Women have made major leaps in the business and professional worlds in the past few years. 

According to a 2023 report, 39.1% of the businesses in the USA are owned by women. This is a significant 13.6% increase from 2019!

Despite this progress, disparities in workplace flexibility and remote opportunities persist. While women are increasingly found in leadership positions, remote work may be a different story.

Here’s a look at some important things to know about gender discrimination in the remote workplace.

1. The problem of “presenteeism” in the remote work office

To respond to the new work landscape, companies have introduced various working arrangements, like hybrid and remote work options. But, there is concern that men and women may make different decisions about where they work, leading to an imbalance in physical workspaces. And those differing decisions could have long-term consequences for gender equality and advancement in the workplace.

According to a recent survey, nearly 15% of women state that the reason they are looking for a new job is because of their desire to work remotely. This figure is significantly higher than that of men.

A scenario where more women choose to work from home, and more men return to the office could lead to greater gender inequality in the workplace and reinforcement of stereotypical domestic roles. That, in turn, could stall career potential for women — both in terms of earnings and advancement.

A disproportionate number of men in the office versus women working at home could lead to a new form of “presenteeism,” which may increase a company’s bias for rewarding those present in the office. While remote work became the norm in the first post-pandemic year, return-to-the-office policies are becoming more common. 

However, it’s worth noting that recent data shows that currently, more men (38%) are working remotely full-time than women (30%). So, despite the fact that working remotely is important to female professionals and there are worries of “presenteeism,” a higher percentage of women are working from the office than men.

The unfortunate consequence of a hybrid working arrangement is that individuals — women and men alike — who work from home end up being out of sight and out of mind.

2. The broken rung obstacle is holding women back

While the “glass ceiling” concept is often cited as the main barrier to women’s advancement in the workplace, the problem actually lies with an obstacle called the “broken rung” of the corporate ladder. Remote work doesn’t appear to remedy the situation, particularly if the “presenteeism” problem discussed above becomes evident.

Research shows that men are more likely than women to get promoted from an entry-level position to a management role. This imbalance early on in a budding career is part of the reason why there are fewer women at every progressive step on the corporate ladder. Because they are at a disadvantage from the first step, women can’t climb fast enough to catch up with men in senior positions.

The Women in the Workplace 2024 study by McKinsey & Company and LeanIn.Org found that for every 100 men promoted to manager, only 79 women are promoted.

So, it’s no surprise that nearly 30% of women think their gender will make it harder for them to get a raise, promotion, or other opportunities to excel.

Consider that the labor force participation rate for women in the U.S. is around 57.5,% but only 6.2% of CEOs at S&P 500 companies are women.

Until women advance to management positions at the same rate as men, representation at the top of the corporate ladder will remain uneven.

3. Microaggressions are a remote workplace reality for women

Whether subtle or explicit, intentional or not, microaggressions signal disrespect and reflect inequality. And for 55% of women, this form of discrimination is a workplace reality. 

Microaggressions can take various forms, such as constant interruptions, questioning judgment in one’s area of expertise, ignoring contributions, comments on one’s emotional state, or being addressed unprofessionally. However, all types of microaggressions have the same effect of undermining an individual’s professional status and credibility.

Unfortunately, remote work arrangements aren’t an immediate solution to gender-based microaggressions. And in some instances, it may even exacerbate the problem.

Many women find it difficult to speak up in virtual meetings, with women getting interrupted more often. A recent study found that men tend to dominate verbal discussions in virtual meetings, while women engage more in chat functions, suggesting differences in communication dynamics.

These findings highlight that while remote work offers flexibility and has the potential to reduce workplace discrimination, it does not inherently eliminate workplace microaggressions.

4. Women face hurdles with remote networking

Chats with coworkers or supervisors at the water cooler may seem insignificant, but informal networking is vital to career advancement. 

Even before remote work was a hot topic, research showed that women had more difficulty finding opportunities to interact with senior leaders. At the senior level, only 27% of women have had a formal mentor, compared to 38% of men. This lack of mentorship can impede women’s career progression and access to leadership roles.

And while that may not sound like a noteworthy disparity at first, it has significant implications regarding who stays at a company, who receives promotions, and who sets their sights on leadership. In fact, hurdles with networking have been cited as one of the primary causes of workplace gender gaps.

In the 2023 Women at Work report by Deloitte, women working in hybrid positions were more likely than men to report not having enough substantive interactions with senior leaders about their work. 30% of female workers claim they do not have sufficient access to senior leadership.

Since interactions with leadership are what drive career growth, this puts women at a disadvantage. This could create significant repercussions for women’s career paths if the gender-based inequality of informal networks is accelerated.

5. Childcare responsibilities and the remote work divide

A recent study found that despite more and more women taking on full-time work in recent years, mothers still do significantly more household work, such as childcare and cleaning. One of the most significant benefits of remote work for women is that it allows them to better balance their home-life responsibilities with work.

Additionally, there has been a major childcare crisis in recent years, with parents struggling to access quality affordable childcare. A survey by the Department of Labor in 2024 found that significantly more mothers than fathers were either absent from work or worked fewer hours in order to handle childcare duties.

The ability to work from home allows women to not only remain in the workforce but also further their careers while managing caregiving responsibilities. The flexibility that remote work provides is especially beneficial for single mothers, who often juggle childcare and professional duties without additional support. The return-to-office mandates of recent years risk undoing the progress that remote work has provided, potentially forcing many professional mothers to choose between their careers and their caregiving responsibilities.

While remote work offers mothers flexibility to balance professional and household responsibilities, it can also blur work-life boundaries, leading to burnout. To support working mothers effectively, employers should implement structured remote work policies, allow for flexible scheduling, and provide mental health resources.

6. Companies need to keep up with cultural and demographic shifts about gender

It’s important to point out that even when workplaces make efforts for gender equality, they often neglect the discrimination experienced by people who are transgender (an umbrella term for people whose gender identity differs from the sex they were assigned at birth). It is also crucial to pay attention to discrimination against nonbinary individuals (those who do not identify exclusively as either a man or woman).

Many remote workplaces are failing to keep up with demographic and cultural shifts in how society thinks about gender. 

Corporate America has made major strides toward inclusivity in recent years, but there is still a lot of work to be done. In 2023, a study found that around 60% of nonbinary workers in the United States experienced some level of workplace harassment.

And that’s something that workplaces need to prioritize, considering that an estimated 7% of the Gen Z population identifies as nonbinary and nearly 2% identify as transgender. This represents more than 6 million people in the U.S. alone.

Because transgender and nonbinary people are more likely to be discriminated against in the workplace, many hide their gender identity to avoid mistreatment. According to a recent study, 58% of transgender and gender nonconforming (TGNC) workers attempted to conceal their gender identity in the workplace.

Transgender employees need support in the workplace to ensure they feel safe at work, and remote work culture can make this more difficult. For some TGNC employees, working remotely can create a safe environment. For others, it can lead to isolation and a greater sense of marginalization.

Equality benefits everyone

​​Progress has certainly been made in addressing gender disparities in the workplace. However, significant challenges persist, particularly concerning remote work and representation in leadership roles.

Remote work is a double-edged sword and has presented both opportunities and challenges for female and TGNC workers.

To continue the forward momentum, organizations must implement and strengthen policies that promote inclusivity, support career advancement for women, and address systemic biases to achieve a truly equitable work environment.

There is no quick fix to systemic gender inequalities. However, by being proactive and aware of imbalances, businesses can become leaders against gender discrimination in all workplace settings.