| A recent article in The Wall Street Journal highlighted what we already know: flexibility is not optional for women, it’s essential. More women are working from home than men, yet thousands are leaving the workforce as flexibility fades. More women are choosing flexibility, even as companies push for a return to the office. The trade-off is real: working from home makes it easier to balance caregiving and career, but it can also slow promotions and earning power.
Still, this is not a setback, it’s an opportunity. Women are showing that flexibility is essential, not optional, and in doing so, we are reshaping the future of work. By staying engaged—by working with The Second Shift —we build careers on our own terms. Flexibility isn’t a weakness. It’s proof of resilience, creativity, and leadership. It’s the foundation on which women build sustainable careers and lasting financial independence. Yes, there is the remote work double bind: flexibility keeps women in the workforce, but a lack of office “face time” can slow promotions and pay growth. As one wealth manager is quoted in the WSJ, “The push to go back to work is really tougher for women, but the reality is, it’s always been tougher for women in the workforce.” But here’s our opportunity: this data proves women are leading the charge to redesign work. By staying engaged women build the careers they want on their terms. At The Second Shift, we see opportunity in these numbers and we view this as a moment not of retreat, but of possibility. Flexibility isn’t a perk, it’s infrastructure. And the fact that so many women are insisting on it shows that together we are reshaping the future of work in real time. |