Why Companies Need Women in the Remote Workforce

Why Businesses Should Hire Women In Its Remote Workforce

The flexibility of remote work has allowed people to take more ownership of their time while still delivering on their responsibilities.

For companies, this means tapping into skills and talents anywhere in the world and possibly saving on operational costs like office rent and electricity.

Some completely remote companies have foregone the old ways of the rigid 9 to 5, revolutionizing the workplace by making space for productivity trackers and virtual meetings.

The remote work setup has been most appealing to women, especially to those who have had to juggle home responsibilities with their office tasks in the past.

It’s no question that women in the workforce face a plethora of struggles in a traditional office setup, even more so women of color, and some of those problems are alleviated when they work remotely which is why working from home is so alluring.

Studies have shown that women in the remote workforce thrive in that system and in turn, the company greatly benefits in terms of talent, company dynamics, and overall productivity.

Establish Gender Equity and Diversity

Everyone knows of the notorious gender gap, where there is a skewed representation of women, men, and members of the LGBTQ community in a company.

By hiring more women, not only do businesses address the gender gap, but it makes way for more diversity in the workforce that breeds an environment of creativity and innovation.

Access to International Talents

Businesses need not limit themselves to their immediate geographical area when it comes to hiring remote talent for their teams.

With access to the global talent pool, companies get to discover people who can best fit the roles they are looking to fill.

The traditional workplace is known for deliberately, or not, establishing invisible barriers for their women employees and leaders. Glass ceilings have always hindered highly qualified and competent women from advancing in their fields.

Barriers like the gender pay gap, the attitude of men in leadership, and the responsibility of being the family caregiver falling to women by default only serve to push the women to drop out of the workforce.

When companies fail to acknowledge these barriers and establish systemic changes, women have no other choice but to leave.

While some women decide to forge their own path like these Black women in the food industry and Black women in the arts, some women aren’t so fortunate and continue to be out of the labor force.

And because women are more likely to leave their jobs than their male colleagues, this creates a pool of capable and talented women ready to be absorbed by remote-friendly employers.

Companies can increase the value of their companies by providing career opportunities and flexibility to top female talents around the globe who are waiting to get back into the workforce.

Women in Leadership Roles Develop Quality Teams

With how women gravitate towards remote work, it will come as no surprise that in one study by Remote.co, 29% of completely remote companies are helmed by women founders, presidents, and CEOs, a stark contrast to the 6.4% of the female CEOs of Fortune 500 companies.

When it comes to promotions, a Workforce.com survey showed that in 2019, 57% of female employees in remote set-ups received a promotion that year while only 35% of in-office women were promoted.

Showing that your business encourages women leadership allows your company to attract more talent.

Research suggests that the flexibility of remote work is inherently more supportive of women progressing in the field and because it offers a better fit for those searching for a better balance of their work and personal lives, employees exhibit a more positive attitude when performing their tasks and turning over more quality deliverables.

Women in leadership roles strengthen team dynamics, improve productivity and efficiency, reduce staff turnover, and cultivate an overall better work environment of psychological safety and team confidence.

All of these combined makes a recipe for a successful remote team.

Women Thrive in Remote Work

While it is a fact that happy employees are great for companies, this is especially true for completely remote businesses.

Happy employees not only care more about the company, but they are more productive and more efficient in creating value for the company.

Women doing remote work thrive in this set-up because it allows for a seamless integration of work and personal life.

The flexible schedule allows for employees to finish their work on their own time while taking their much-needed breaks which are just as important as the hours spent working.

Studies also suggest that remote workers are physically and mentally healthier than their in-office counterparts, with lower blood pressure and lower stress levels.

While traditional offices remain unyielding to the realities women face in their workplace, remote companies are able to offer a flexible environment for these women to flourish.

The positive impact of having women in a company’s remote workforce is undeniable, and with the inherent potential remote work has to develop a more effective structure that foregoes outdated management techniques and supports career advancement, promotions, and recognition.

There is a lot to look forward to in the revolutionary shift of the workplace.