Hybrid working conditions create a healthy balance for women

The widespread adoption of hybrid working is reportedly giving women more opportunities to flourish as their work/life balance is improving.

Hybrid working conditions are the talk of the town when it comes to workplace discussions, with a number of employees across a range of sectors being fixated on having a quality work/life balance. A recent survey showed the top 10 drivers for employee attraction, which had work/life balance at the number-two spot, stressing its importance to employees.

The latest report by IWG has revealed that over half of respondents experienced numerous benefits and opportunities from hybrid working conditions. The research found that the flexibility of hybrid working conditions had allowed over half (53 per cent) of women to pursue promotions or apply for more senior roles.

For almost three-quarters (73 per cent) of women in minority groups, hybrid working has opened up a number of new opportunities that they may not have had otherwise. Following on from that, two-thirds (67 per cent) said that hybrid working has helped to level the playing field for career progression, while 70 per cent also think that hybrid working has made their job more inclusive.

The kicker is that for the overwhelming majority of women (89 per cent), hybrid working also has helped facilitate a better balance between work responsibilities and family commitments thanks to hybrid working accelerating the creation of more 15-minute cities, allowing them to work closer to home.

A 15-minute-city, as defined by Public Square, refers to “an ideal geography where most human needs and many desires are located within a travel distance of 15 minutes”.

Women are saving valuable time on their lengthy commutes, and as a result, over a third (38 per cent) said that hybrid working has given them more time to pursue personal passions and other activities outside of work.

As the report shows, an increasing number of women workers are making significant career decisions, such as changing jobs and switching industries, primarily to ensure that they have hybrid working arrangements and, therefore, better work/life balance.

In pursuit of these flexible working arrangements, nearly two in five (43 per cent) women have changed sectors altogether, saying that hybrid working has enabled them to move into their new industry.

The wide range of benefits has been noted throughout the report, but there were other key areas that presented advantages. For example, in terms of mental health, three in 10 (27 per cent) experienced improvements in their mental health attributes as a result of working in hybrid conditions. Seventy per cent also noted that hybrid work had also positively impacted their career trajectory, which can be intertwined with improvement in mental health and wellbeing.

Fatima Koning, group chief commercial officer at IWG, commented: “Hybrid working stands at the forefront as a transformative force in achieving a more equitable workplace. The latest findings from IWG are a testament to this, revealing a trend where women, particularly from a range of diverse backgrounds, are actively shaping their careers around the flexibility that hybrid working offers.”

Additional benefits that were also listed in the report were commuting costs, which 38 per cent saved money on. Twenty-four per cent were able to increase their productivity, and 7 per cent were even able to buy a pet.

Hybrid working has allowed for a number of benefits and opportunities that women are not usually accustomed to and is actively working towards giving all women ample chances to thrive in fields of their choosing, which is hugely positive for the working sector itself.

“This shift is not only enhancing work/life balance but also fostering a wealth of new professional opportunities. Having personally experienced the myriad benefits of hybrid working, it’s heartening to witness its role in driving diversity and inclusion, allowing more women to thrive in their chosen fields,” concluded Koning.