More men are returning to the office. Here’s why that matters for women.

The statement “More men are returning to the office. Here’s why that matters for women” highlights an emerging gender disparity in post-pandemic workplace dynamics, as evidenced by recent U.S. Department of Labor data and analyses from financial and economic sources. This trend, driven by return-to-office (RTO) mandates in male-dominated sectors, poses potential risks to women’s career progression and gender equity. Below is a structured analysis based on current reporting, incorporating key data, reasons, implications, and expert perspectives.

Overview and Data Context

Recent surveys indicate a widening gap in remote work participation between men and women. According to the U.S. Department of Labor’s 2024 survey, 29% of employed men reported working from home, a decline from 34% in 2023. In contrast, 36% of women worked from home in 2024, unchanged from the previous year.

 This disparity has persisted and even grown since the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, when remote work became widespread. For instance, a Wall Street Journal analysis notes that the gender gap in remote work rates has doubled since 2022, with women 3.3 percentage points more likely to work remotely based on surveys of 5,000 U.S. adults.

 These figures reflect broader shifts, as organizations describing their environments as fully remote decreased significantly between 2024 and 2025, per Payscale data.

Reasons for the Gender Disparity

The uneven return to office-based work stems primarily from industry-specific RTO initiatives and occupational differences. Male-dominated fields, such as technology, have implemented stricter RTO policies amid weakening labor demand, giving employers greater leverage to enforce in-person attendance.

 Women hold only about 25% of computer and mathematical jobs, with even lower shares in roles like computer programmers (17.8%) and hardware engineers (14.3%).

 Conversely, female-dominated sectors—including private education, health services, leisure and hospitality, and state/local government—have seen fewer RTO mandates, as many roles are inherently in-person.

Societal expectations also play a role. Women often shoulder disproportionate caregiving responsibilities for children and aging parents, making remote work more essential for maintaining work-life balance.

 Economists suggest that men, particularly managers, face greater pressure to demonstrate commitment through physical presence, while women prioritize flexibility.

 A Marketplace report emphasizes that gender norms—where men are expected to prioritize career ladders and women’s family duties—contribute to this divide.

Implications for Women

This trend could exacerbate gender inequities in several ways:

1. Career Advancement and Proximity Bias: With nearly 9 in 10 CEOs in a 2024 survey indicating they would reward in-office employees with better assignments, raises, or promotions, women opting for remote work risk being overlooked.
2. 
   Stanford economist Nicholas Bloom warns of a potential “two-tiered” system where men gain visibility, networking, and mentorship opportunities, hindering women’s progression.
3. 
   A KPMG survey found that 86% of CEOs favor visible employees for advancement.
4. Gender Pay Gap: The persistent wage disparity—women earned 85% of men’s earnings in 2024, per Pew Research Center—may widen if in-office presence becomes a prerequisite for pay increases.
5. 
   Remote work, while enabling more women to participate in the labor force, may impose “steep costs” like fewer promotions or guidance.
6. Broader Equity Issues: Women in male-dominated fields or those seeking entry may face barriers, potentially thickening the “glass ceiling.” Discussions on platforms like X highlight risks of women being “out of sight, out of mind,” eroding decades of progress.
7. 
   However, remote flexibility has been a boon for working mothers, allowing continued employment without relocation constraints.

Expert Opinions

• Cory Stahle, senior economist at Indeed: “Many of these return-to-office efforts are coming when demand for workers in male-dominated industries has weakened, giving employers the upper hand.”
• Zoë Cullen, NBER researcher: Remote work offers “greater scheduling flexibility” but may limit “face-to-face mentoring and raise concerns about potential career growth penalties.”
• Wen Fan, Boston College professor: The disparity is a “double-edged sword,” as remote work enables more women to work and earn but reinforces expectations for men to show loyalty in the office.
• Claudia Goldin, Harvard economist: Remote work benefits women who might otherwise leave the workforce for childcare, allowing them to “still earn money and work from home.”

Broader Trends and Outlook

Hybrid environments are now the norm at over half of companies, typically requiring three in-office days for knowledge workers, per Payscale.

 While 4 in 10 organizations issued RTO mandates recently, many have softened rules for top performers or specific roles.

 Employees, including women, are willing to accept pay cuts (up to 25% on average, per NBER) for remote options, indicating strong demand for flexibility.

 On X, discussions emphasize the need for inclusive strategies, such as output-based performance metrics and virtual networking, to mitigate biases.

 Experts urge employers to rethink equity, ensuring remote workers are not disadvantaged.

Conclusion

The increasing return of men to office settings underscores a critical challenge for gender equity, potentially limiting women’s access to opportunities and perpetuating disparities in pay and advancement. While remote work has empowered women, particularly caregivers, addressing proximity bias through fair policies is essential for sustained progress. For further insights, consult sources like the U.S. Department of Labor reports or analyses from Indeed and Pew Research Center.