Research: Can Remote Work Impact Women's Career Growth?

The COVID-19 pandemic has revolutionised the workplace, with remote work becoming a key component of many industries. While remote work has been pushed as a flexible choice that allows women to balance professional and familial obligations, its impact on women's professional development differs depending on their stage of employment. According to Harvard Business Review research, WFH has an impact on young women as they try to establish themselves in their careers, as well as on the often-invisible mentorship work done by older women.

Research Methodology

The study examined the influence of WFH on women's careers among 1,055 software engineers at a Fortune 500 organisation. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, some engineers worked in the same building as their entire team, while others were spread across buildings a few blocks away. Before the offices closed, teams sat together and interacted frequently. Teams that were split across buildings, on the other hand, functioned more like remote teams, with daily meetings taking place online. After the pandemic forced workplace closures, all employees worked at a distance from their colleagues.

Mentorship Dynamics

The study evaluated mentorship among engineers by analyzing online peer review comments aimed at enhancing their software programs. We discovered that when offices were open, female engineers who sat near their colleagues received significantly more feedback on their code compared to those on multi-building teams – a 40% difference. This was partly due to the fact that female engineers sitting nearby tended to ask more follow-up questions online, leading to deeper discussions about their code.

Moreover, when female engineers interacted in person, they received feedback from a wider range of people, indicating exposure to diverse perspectives on their work. Interestingly, this additional feedback came from both male and female colleagues, suggesting that it wasn't solely about women being patronized or exclusively mentored by other women when face-to-face.

For male engineers, the difference in feedback between those in the same building and those on multi-building teams was less pronounced, only 18% when offices were open. This gap disappeared when offices closed, indicating that male engineers' propensity to seek clarification wasn't as influenced by proximity.

Importantly, we found no disparity in the quality or tone of feedback received by male and female engineers. Feedback, in general, was constructive and actionable, benefiting both genders equally.

Proximity was particularly advantageous for new female engineers. Junior female engineers on single-building teams received about 51% more feedback compared to those on multi-building teams, highlighting the importance of physical proximity, especially for newcomers who have much to learn. Senior engineers, however, received similar amounts of feedback regardless of their team's structure, indicating that proximity mattered less for them.

The Double-Edged Sword of Proximity for Senior Women

The study also observed that junior female engineers benefited from being close to their teammates, while senior female engineers faced challenges from the same proximity. This increased mentorship workload came at the expense of their own productivity, as they produced less than half the number of programs per month compared to their remote-working peers. When senior female engineers worked near their colleagues, they gave 28% more comments compared to those who worked in distributed teams. However, this increased feedback came at a cost – their overall productivity decreased because they spent more time providing input to their teammates. In fact, senior female engineers who worked in close proximity produced less than half of the programs per month compared to those who worked remotely.

On the other hand, the effect of proximity was less pronounced for senior male engineers. Although they provided slightly more feedback when working in person rather than remotely, their productivity didn't suffer as much as that of senior female engineers.

This phenomenon of 'invisible work'—where senior women invest substantial time and effort in mentoring without commensurate recognition or reward—highlights a critical challenge. The study revealed that senior women who worked near their teammates received fewer pay raises compared to those who worked from home, suggesting that investing time in the growth of their colleagues may come at the expense of their own career advancement.

Remote Mentorship in Other Sectors

Software engineering inherently supports remote mentorship through digital feedback mechanisms, a practice well-established before the pandemic. In sectors where in-person interactions are more integral to training and development, the challenges of remote mentorship could be more severe. Junior employees in such environments may experience greater difficulties in acquiring on-the-job training, and the burden on senior women to provide mentorship could be even more substantial.

Notably, only 16% of the engineers we studied are parents. The reduction in feedback we noted when workers weren't co-located could be even greater for parents balancing work and childcare. This would make the mentorship challenges of remote work more significant. However, if remote work allows parents to better manage their responsibilities — perhaps due to supportive company policies and flexibility — the impact on feedback and mentorship might be less severe for them.

Strategic Recommendations for Organizations

For junior women, remote work can significantly impede professional development due to reduced mentorship opportunities. Conversely, for senior women, remote work can enhance productivity by alleviating the mentorship burden. Organisations must adopt strategic measures to balance these effects and support women across all career stages.

To address the invisible work performed by senior women, organisations should implement clear recognition and reward systems for mentorship. By valuing and incentivising the time and effort invested in training junior colleagues, companies can ensure that senior women are adequately compensated and motivated to continue providing high-quality mentorship.

Investing in robust digital tools and platforms that facilitate seamless communication and feedback is crucial. Virtual mentorship programs, regular check-ins, and structured feedback mechanisms can help bridge the gap created by physical distance. 

Organizations should also consider the unique challenges faced by working parents. Providing flexible work policies, childcare support, and resources for balancing professional and personal responsibilities can help parents thrive in a remote work environment.

Views expressed by the author are their own