According to a new Deloitte study, only about a third of women working in hybrid mode in the technology, media and telecommunications industries (TMT) are satisfied with their work-life balance overall, compared to more than half of their colleagues remotely and in-person counterparts are.
The study shows that women in the TMT industry who work in hybrid mode are more likely to be stressed and burnt out, with less than four in ten people rating their mental health as good or extremely good.
This could be because women are disproportionately often assigned household tasks. 86% of TMT women with children reported being the primary caregiver in their household, which can be emotionally stressful.
“Hybrid work may make it more challenging to be in the right place at the right time: When an employer schedules in-person events, hybrid workers, especially those with dependent-care responsibilities, may find it difficult to adjust their already complex schedules,” the report said.
Another reason is the segregation and exclusion of hybrid TMT women. 52% of hybrid TMT women report being excluded from professional activities such as meetings, decision-making and informal interactions, and almost half (45%) say they do not have enough contact with managers.
According to the report, TMT women experience more stress, less visibility and poor work-life balance, as well as a proximity bias that favors workers who spend most of their time in the office.
Employees were asked to ensure that hybrid workers have effective technological tools and connectivity, balance flexibility and predictability, foster fairness and inclusion, and help workers address family needs to put an end to this.
The sources for this piece include an article in TechRepublic.