67% of Men Say Working From Home Makes Them More Productive — Here’s How Many Women Say the Same

The move to remote work has no doubt been an adjustment for everyone. But according to a new study, working from home is working for men much better than it’s working for women.

In a study of more than 1,000 U.S. adults conducted by Qualtrics and the Boardlist, 67% of men said they have been more productive working remotely during the pandemic while only 41% of women reported the same. 

The same held true for parents. Women working remotely in a home with children were less likely to say they’ve been more productive than men under the same circumstances. In fact, 41% of men with children at home said they have fewer noises and distractions at home than they did at work. Only 19% of women with children at home said the same. 

Perhaps most strikingly, men don’t just feel more productive — they are also more likely to believe their level of productivity will positively impact their careers. 71% of men said working from home for an extended period of time would positively affect their career progression, while only 31% of women agreed. 

The study found race also impacted workers’ perceived productivity. White workers were 62% more likely than Black workers to say they’ve been more productive during the pandemic. 

These discrepancies suggest creating equitable employee experiences for remote employees should be top priority. However, many companies may not be investing in the right ways. 

Women were less likely to say their company added diversity and leadership programs since the pandemic than men, and over 20% of women say their company does not place enough emphasis on women in leadership. Meanwhile, white respondents were 52% more likely to think the impact of diversity programs on their company has been extremely positive, while only 42% of Black respondents said the same. 

“As employers work to create the best employee experience they can during a global pandemic, the different effects quarantine and COVID-19 have had on various demographics can guide them as they seek to make everyone’s experience equitable,” Ben Rogers, Global Head of Brand Content and Customer Marketing at Qualtrics, wrote. 

Study respondents agree that including diverse perspectives in decision-making is a positive step, particularly when it comes to organizational performance. Along the lines of gender, half of women (50%) believe having women in leadership is correlated with improved financial performance at their company and 73% of men say the same. 

You can read more about this study by visiting Qualtrics research center. 

--

Fairygodboss is proud to partner with Qualtrics. Find a job there today!