Elon Musk says remote work is “morally wrong”. But 88% of women see it as a path to gender equality at work

Almost as soon as it began, bosses attempted to abandon the remote work model. CEOs of major corporations like Meta, Salesforce and JP Morgan have all pedaled the narrative that remote work is a poison on our way of life, rotting productivity into the ground. Elon Musk is the latest to throw his opinion into the ring, suggesting that remote work is “not just a productivity thing” but “morally wrong”. 

But there is a thread of commonality here, which is not so subtle. Those in question are all rich, white men, who have benefitted to extreme degrees from the old system. Of course they would panic at the loss of it. 

Wider perceptions of remote work tell a different story. Especially when it comes to women.  

Remote work is inherently feminist 

The nine-to-five five-day-a-week model was created at the same time as the first car. It was a very different time, when men were the sole ‘breadwinners’ and women were often without any personal income. It was also the era of the ‘nuclear family’, where fathers spent far less time with their children, and mothers were expected to provide the majority - if not all - of the childcare. For this social structure, the 9-5 in-office model worked well. For today’s standards, however, it’s showing its age. 

If we are to agree that women deserve the same rights and opportunities as men, then remote work is not only convenient—but also feminist. In a world where children get to spend time with both parents, remote or hybrid work is imperative. 

Less sexism through remote work

But remote work is not only beneficial to women in families. While white men may have excelled in a corporate, watercooler environment, this is not always the case for women―many of whom experience more harassment and microaggressions in the office than when working remotely, particularly women of colour, LGBTQ+ women, and women with disabilities. 

Moreover, according to new research, 88% of the women surveyed believe the flexibility of hybrid work is an equalizer in the workplace, and two-thirds say it has had a positive impact on their career growth path. When you begin to unpack the statistics, remote work - for women - has very little downside. 

Leading with a conscience 

Of course, the catch-22 is that it’s usually up to company leaders to decide on a remote work policy. And company leaders tend to benefit the most from having their employees in the office. Nevertheless, there are plenty out there who can be trusted to put wellbeing and inclusion before profits and tradition. 

At the end of the day - if we’re to go by the opinions of the masses rather than the elite few - they will be the ones who profit most in the end.  

At Remotify, we believe that the decision to work remotely should be yours to make. And that that choice should benefit not only your company's wellbeing, but your bottom line too. Want to know how we can help you make the switch to remote work? Get in touch with our friendly team today.