{"id":12120,"date":"2022-08-22T10:35:33","date_gmt":"2022-08-22T10:35:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/TheNextWeb=1390553"},"modified":"2022-08-22T10:35:33","modified_gmt":"2022-08-22T10:35:33","slug":"the-hybrid-workplace-could-make-tech-companies-less-inclusive-heres-what-you-can-do","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.londonchiropracter.com\/?p=12120","title":{"rendered":"The hybrid workplace could make tech companies less inclusive \u2014 here\u2019s what you can do"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

We all know the drill. During the pandemic, offices shut-down, employees worked from home\u2026 and companies discovered, it wasn\u2019t all bad.<\/p>\n

Now, with half of workers wanting to continue the work from home life and the other half running back to the office with open arms, companies are weighing the potential benefits of remote, hybrid, and flexible work arrangements.<\/p>\n

In the wake of the \u2018Great Resignation,\u2019 some say that offering remote and hybrid work options can even help create a more equitable work environment by leveling the playing field, allowing for more flexibility, and limiting the microaggressions<\/a> people of color often have to confront in the workplace.<\/p>\n

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And a number of surveys support this by showing that diverse talent are in fact more likely to be searching for remote opportunities<\/a>. This comes at a time when tech companies are coming under more scrutiny to improve on diversity and inclusion (D&I).<\/p>\n

As a result, a number of opinion pieces have come out encouraging tech<\/a> companies to offer remote and hybrid work as a means to attract more diverse candidates.<\/p>\n

But before you start posting up a storm of vacancies, we need to stop and consider. Offering more remote and flexible work options may make our companies more diverse, but will it make them more inclusive? And will these benefits be enough to retain diverse talent in the long-term?<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not that simple. Here we\u2019ll dig deeper into data gathered by Techleap.nl<\/a> and D&I experts from the fast-growing Dutch tech scene.<\/p>\n

Unintended consequences<\/strong><\/h2>\n

As Slack found in its recent Future Forum Pulse<\/a>:<\/p>\n

\u201cExecutives, white knowledge workers, men and non-parents are opting into in-office work at higher rates, raising the risk that proximity bias could entrench existing inequities.\u201d<\/p>\n

While remote and flexible work options can provide easier working conditions, it can also bring a new divide between those who are in the office and those who work online.<\/p>\n

When it comes to salary and promotion opportunities, it\u2019s those who are seen on a daily basis who are top of mind. When it comes time for performance reviews, how will managers assess the performance of their remote employees vs those they see in person every day? These are just a few of the many new complexities that the future of remote, hybrid, and flexible work can bring.<\/p>\n

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To improve D&I, we need to dig deeper into the potential side effects.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n

What\u2019s more, diversity is an umbrella term that encompasses so many different people and situations, making introducing new D&I processes a complex undertaking with many variables to consider. What might have positive consequences for one group may have a negative impact on another. Even within one group, the impact of a new initiative or process can have different impacts depending on your perspective and even unintended spillover effects.<\/p>\n

There are now a number of articles that generally proclaim hybrid and flexible work approaches improve gender equality. But, if you look at the research that\u2019s been conducted so far<\/a>, you can see mixed results. While some studies show that remote work allows more working mothers the flexibility they need to continue participating in the workforce, others show that these kinds of initiatives can reinforce traditional gender roles.<\/p>\n

One great example is the Netherlands\u2019 experience with part-time work. While its introduction was meant to help more parents find a better work-life balance, it led to more women than men taking part-time work<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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