Silver Lining to the Pandemic—Remote Work Benefits Women

Illustration by Hanna Barczyk

Since the pandemic began and remote work has become common place for lawyers, I have considered more than once the long-term effect this new way of working will have on women in the legal field. Will it once and for all level the playing field so that women can better compete with their male counterparts? If we can work remotely and collaborate with colleagues virtually, are women on more equal footing? If remote conferences are more efficient for clients and traveling face to face is reduced because we have learned that remote communication is effective and efficient, does this open up more opportunities for women? I think the short answer is yes.

Of course, the inequities that women face in the legal profession are more complicated than the constraints of four walls in an office. But I think what has happened is law firms are now seeing that flexible remote working can work and that a lawyer working remotely can be just as productive as one tethered to a desk. This truly is the bell that can’t be unrung. The misconception, that women with divided duties between work and home aren’t able to work as hard as men in the field, is forever debunked.

Today, law, like so many other fields, is a 24/7 business. The ability to be on call is a job requirement. Now, that is easier to do when remote work is an industry standard.

Apparently, I am not the only one evaluating this hypothesis. McKinsey & Company and Leanin.org finalized a report in late September entitled Women in the Workplace 2020 which examined the effects of the Covid-19 crisis on women. The report details that one in four women are considering leaving the workforce due to Covid-19. The report explores the unique challenges that women are facing during Covid-19 that are more likely to push them out of the workforce. The report breaks down the challenges in the workforce for women, black women, and women with disabilities and addresses the added strain that Covid-19 places on these challenges.

Originally, McKinsey & Company and LeanIn.org originally conducted a study between 2015 through 2019, surveying more than 250,000 women on their workplace experience entitled Women in the Workplace 2019. This new study is a more targeted view of the challenges of Covid-19 on women in corporate America.

The report talks about how the Covid-19 crisis has caused companies to rethink their fundamental beliefs about remote work. “There are early signs that remote work can help level the playing field” and “the building blocks of a more empathetic workplace may also be falling into place.” The report indicates that 93% of companies now say more jobs can be performed remotely and 67% predict a significant shift to remote work in the future. And employees also see the benefits of remote work. The report predicted that remote work would open up opportunities – particularly to mothers, caregivers, and people with disabilities.

But the report also points out that companies have a choice to reinvent themselves during this time to provide a more flexible and sustainable work environment for everyone. “This moment requires long-term thinking, creativity, strong leadership, and a laser focus on the value of women to their organizations.” The report made no qualms about strongly stating that “[c]orporate America is at a critical crossroads. Without bold steps, we could erase all the progress we’ve made toward gender diversity in the six years of this study. But if companies rise to the moment, we can lay the foundation for a more flexible and equitable workplace in the long-term.”