This article is from the Australian Property Journal archive
HYBRID working has opened the door for more women from minority backgrounds to apply for senior positions within their companies, a new report says.
IWG’s Advancing Equality: Women in the Hybrid Workplace report, based on research among more than 1,000 women who are utilising hybrid work arrangements, found that the flexibility of hybrid working had allowed over half – 53% – to pursue promotions or apply for more senior roles. That figure rises to 61% of women from minority backgrounds.
For almost three-quarters (73%) of women in minority groups, hybrid working has opened up new opportunities that they would not have had otherwise, according to the report.
IWG is the world’s largest operator of hybrid working venues, with its brands including Spaces and Regus. The research for its report was conducted among 1,036 women in February for IWG by Mortar Research.
Two-thirds (67%) said that hybrid work helped to level the playing field for career progression, while 70% think that hybrid working has made their job more inclusive.
The report comes a week after the Australian government for the first time released data detailing the gender pay gap, across nearly 5,000 companies with 100 or more employees. It showed the average Australian woman is paid about 78c in the dollar compared to her male peers, equating to more than $26,000 a year. Some major companies recorded gender pay gaps of over 30% and 40%.
For the overwhelming majority of women (89%), hybrid working also has helped facilitate a better balance between work responsibilities and family commitments, helped by hybrid working accelerating the creation of more 15-minute cities that allow them to work closer to home. More than a third said that the time saved by the commute has given them more freedom to pursue personal passions outside of work.
As a result, an increasing number of women are making major career decisions such as changing jobs and switching industries. In pursuit of flexible working arrangements, many have changed sectors altogether, with 43% saying this has been enabled by hybrid working.
Increased visibility
Women from minority groups reported that the career growth opportunities from hybrid enabled them to be more productive and efficient (44%), helped them to learn more about other roles at their company (49%) and increased their visibility with senior leadership (32%).
Women considered part of one minority group included those who identify as LGBTQIA+, disabled or as coming from an ethnic minority background.
Nearly nine in 10 of those with a mobility disability said that hybrid working has made office-based jobs more viable for them, while 61% agreed that it has made their job more inclusive.
Of those that said they suffer from mental ill health, 27% experienced improved mental health as a result of working in a hybrid manner, with 70% agreeing that hybrid work had positively impacted their career growth trajectory as a result
More than two-thirds cited cutting transport costs as an additional benefit, and nearly one-quarter increased productivity, while 7% said hybrid working had allowed them to get a pet.
Fatima Koning, group chief commercial officer, IWG said “hybrid working stands at the forefront as a transformative force in achieving a more equitable workplace”.
She women, particularly from a range of diverse backgrounds, are “actively shaping their careers around the flexibility that hybrid working offers.
“This shift is not only enhancing work/life balance but also fostering a wealth of new professional opportunities.”
