Despite efforts by corporate America to lure workers back to the office with promises of bonuses and career advancement, more women than men are opting to work from home — signaling a growing gender divide in the workforce.
As return-to-office mandates become more common, women are consistently choosing remote work at higher rates than their male counterparts. This trend is raising new concerns about gender equity, long-term career growth, and the evolving structure of the American workplace.
According to a recent U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics survey, 36% of employed women reported working from home in the past year, the same as the year before. In contrast, only 29% of employed men said they worked remotely in 2024, down from 34% the previous year.
While the share of women working remotely has held steady, their overall presence in the workforce has grown. Today, 77.7% of prime-age women are participating in the labor force — one of the highest rates ever. Much of this increase stems from the widespread adoption of hybrid and remote work models following the COVID-19 pandemic, which made it more feasible for mothers and caregivers to remain employed.
Data from the Brookings Institution shows that remote work is most prevalent among parents of young children, with mothers of children under five having the highest rates of fully remote work across all demographics.
Working mothers’ advocate and former operations manager Paige Connell says this trend reflects the reality that women still bear the bulk of caregiving and household responsibilities, often making traditional in-office jobs financially or logistically unworkable.
“If I had a traditional 9-to-5 job and had to be in the office, it wouldn’t be possible,” Connell told Fortune. “I’d be paying for before-school care and after-school care. It just wouldn’t logistically work.”
Connell and fellow advocate Paula Faris, founder of CARRY Media, argue that these systemic challenges are pushing women — especially mothers — to prioritize jobs with more flexibility. And survey data from Stanford University and the Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México supports this: for the past five years, women have expressed a stronger preference for remote work than men, by an average margin of five percentage points.
However, while remote work offers flexibility, it may come at a cost. Major corporations like Apple, Meta, Google, and JPMorgan Chase have implemented return-to-office policies, and many CEOs are rewarding in-person attendance. A recent KPMG survey revealed that 86% of CEOs plan to offer better assignments, raises, or promotions to employees who show up in the office.
This growing emphasis on in-person work could deepen the gender gap. Research shows that women working remotely often receive less feedback and mentorship compared to men — reducing their chances for advancement.
Faris warns that these dynamics are reinforcing long-standing inequalities: “A lot of mothers may have no choice but to stay home because they can’t find or afford childcare,” she told Fortune. “And of course, it’s the woman who’s going to have to stay home because she’s making less compared to working fathers. That’s the motherhood penalty.”
As companies reshape their workplace policies, the choices they make could significantly impact the careers and futures of millions of working women across the country.