Flexible work is feminist: Why women are resisting the return-to-office push

"Flexible work isn’t just a perk, it’s a feminist act."

That’s the core argument of a powerful article by Erin Grau, published on Fortune, and it’s resonating across boardrooms, HR teams, and digital workspaces worldwide.

As companies revisit post-pandemic work models, one thing is clear: women are not eager to return to a system that never fully supported them in the first place. Instead, flexible work, remote, hybrid, and asynchronous have become a non-negotiable standard for millions of professionals, especially women.

Why this matters (especially in North America & Europe)

In regions like the U.S., Canada, and the U.K., where the labor market continues to battle talent shortages and DEI gaps, flexible work has proven to be a key driver of gender equity.

According to Fortune, women are not just embracing flexibility for convenience; they’re choosing it to protect their careers, their families, and their autonomy.

The Feminist case for flexibility

Traditional office culture was not designed with women in mind. For decades, working mothers and caregivers have had to mold themselves around rigid 9-to-5 norms, office politics, and proximity bias.

Flexible work flips that narrative. Here's how:

• Removes geographic and commuting barriers

• Allows caregiving and career growth to coexist

• Enables participation from those historically sidelined by in-person demands

• Reduces presenteeism and unconscious bias in performance evaluations

And most importantly, it challenges power structures that disproportionately benefit men.

Return-to-Office mandates risk reversing progress

Despite clear benefits, some companies are mandating office returns to "restore culture" or "improve productivity," often without data to back those claims. Erin Grau argues this isn’t about performance; it’s about preserving outdated hierarchies.

“Women won’t return to a system that hasn’t served them well just to spare the feelings of powerful men.”, Erin Grau, Fortune

Mandates that ignore the nuanced needs of women (especially working mothers, BIPOC professionals, and caregivers) risk losing talent and alienating the very workforce that carried companies through the pandemic.

What the data shows

Studies from McKinsey, LinkedIn, and the U.S. Labor Department confirm:

• Women are more likely than men to prefer remote or hybrid roles

• Companies with flexible policies see higher retention rates among women

• Flexible work closes the leadership ambition gap, allowing women to step into senior roles without sacrificing family life

  
  

What employers should do now

1. Make flexibility the default, not the exception

2. Listen to feedback from women, caregivers, and underrepresented groups

3. Invest in async communication, remote culture, and equitable promotion practices

4. Don’t equate visibility with value. Recognize performance based on outcomes

   
   

Flexibility isn’t just a benefit. It’s a statement.

In today’s global economy, talent is borderless and expectations are shifting. The companies that thrive will be the ones that design work around people’s lives, not the other way around.

Flexible work is feminist. It’s inclusive. It’s the future.

Ready to build a flexible, inclusive workforce?

At Bluedot, we help global companies scale remote teams in Brazil—one of the world’s top emerging nearshore destinations. With time-zone aligned professionals, high retention, and cultural fluency, our model supports companies that want to grow without sacrificing equity or performance.

Talk to Bluedot about building your next remote team