While Work From Home (WFH) arrangements are increasingly becoming more numerous, a sense of caution needs to be sounded out. This arrangement may not be that beneficial for women, feel several researchers. For a start, the work and family conflict may now increase for women. This is because of societal expectations on women to take care of both work and family. Women could also be somewhat indirectly deprived of the usual access to informal networks or even from critical assignments. This was always the case, as most companies are male dominated. But this disturbing trend could further accentuate. A new form of “presenteeism” could arise. This is the concept where there is glorification of those who are working on- site or even travelling for work, in comparison to those who are engaged via a WFH arrangement. Women are quite likely to be more in the latter category, creating such indirect conflicts. As a solution to all this, companies need to stop making assumptions. Instead, they need to engage in deep data warehousing and subsequent analysis of the same. One needs to change with one’s culture, and not against it. Remote working does not happen within some sort of a vacuum. The concept of two tiers of employees needs to be stopped at all costs. Managers need specific corporate training to be educated about the new rules, including WFH etiquettes. The focus must ultimately be on the final output, and not other minor issues.

Source:https://hbr.org/2020/07/why-wfh-isnt-necessarily-good-for-women?utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter_daily&utm_campaign=dailyalert_activesubs&utm_content=signinnudge&deliveryName=DM88528

Uploaded Date:04 August 2020