Working from home keeps mothers employed, study finds.
New research suggests that the gap in employment rates between women with children and those without is narrowing as more companies allow mothers to work remotely.
It comes as leading figures including Lord Alan Sugar, Jacob Rees-Mogg and James Dyson urged Britons to reverse home-working habits picked up during the pandemic.
Lord Sugar has long been vocal about those who prefer to work from home and attracted criticism for saying people should be “paid less” to do so.
Anna Whitehouse, author and founder of Mother Pukka and Flex Appeal – a national campaign to encourage flexible working conditions – criticized Lord Sugar as being out of touch.
She said The independent that working from home and other forms of flexible working are crucial for mothers.
“It's interesting that billionaires who have nannies sent by helicopter everywhere and have no idea what it takes to start a family or the burden it places on women say this.
“It's all very well saying 'get back to the office' from an ivory tower, but you're not in the average person's shoes, so you shouldn't speak for them. “A billionaire will never understand what it's like to run a school.”
The new study offers an alternative to the growing pressure to return to the office. Conducted by University of Virginia professor Emma Harrington and economist Charles Kuhn, it was posted online ahead of peer review and sparked a reaction on social media.
Using pre-pandemic data, the research found that 86 percent of women with a degree and no children were employed compared to 77 percent of women who were mothers.
It found that for every 10 per cent increase in working from home within a sector, the motherhood gap narrowed by almost one per cent, meaning more mothers were employed and more people were working from home.
We present the research titled, Has the rise of working from home reduced the maternity penalty in the labor market?The authors said that when women become mothers, they often leave the workforce and that motherhood accounts for most of the gender gap in labor force participation, especially in high-paying careers.
Anna Whitehouse leads national campaign to improve flexible working conditions
(Anna Whitehouse/@mother_pukka)
The study says: “Working from home (WFH) can help mothers balance work and childcare responsibilities. In time diaries, mothers who work from home report spending more than a third of their work time passively caring for their children, compared to negligible rates locally.
“WFH can also reduce the logistical costs of work by making it easier for mothers to, for example, pick up a sick child from school or drop off a healthy child at soccer practice.”
While working from home can be convenient for those with additional responsibilities, some research indicates that it can have a negative impact on some people's mental health.
recent from Microsoft New future of work The report found that employees who consistently worked from home were “lonelier and more prone to feelings of guilt when calling in sick or taking breaks, leading to overcompensation.”
But Whitehouse believes it doesn't take into account the entire workplace ecosystem, including the impact of commuting on the environment and stress levels.
The mother and activist, who co-commissioned Flexonomy: the economic and fiscal logic of flexible work along with Sir Robert McAlpine, says flexible working conditions could add £55 billion to the economy.
“There is nothing to show that it is better for companies and employees to work under a designated slab of MDF under light strips,” he said. The independent.
He added that the push for flexible working also has to do with inclusion.
“It's not just about mothers but also about being flexible for those with difficulties, anxieties and caring responsibilities.
“Working from home is just one element of flexible working alongside core working hours, compressed hours, job sharing and other forms of flexibility. Look at the homogeneous group of grizzled billionaires and look at their agenda and you will see their drive and self-interest. [in pushing against it].”
Joeli Brearley, CEO and founder of Pregnant Then Screwed, said: “This study shows something we have always known: that remote working allows those with caring responsibilities and those with disabilities to work and work longer hours.
“Unfortunately, it seems that many wealthy business owners are doing everything they can to squander the benefits of working from home, for reasons that are not entirely clear, so we are grateful to finally see research supporting the benefits it has for groups specific demographics. “If the UK wants a progressive labor market that works for all employees, then remote working is an essential component.”
