The number of jobs offering remote work has been reduced
According to Hisayuki Idekoba, CEO of Recruit, remote working remains an attractive perk for those seeking new jobs.
Bloomberg
Five years after the Covid-19 pandemic caused a surge in remote areas in the US, more men have returned to their offices than women.
According to data from the new labor sector, 36% of women continue to work from home, compared to 29% of men, following several waves of orders from the office. Meanwhile, the CEO’s KPMG survey states that 86% reward employees who make efforts to come to the office with a positive mission, salary increases or promotion.
However, with proper financial planning and career management, experts say they can ensure that remote workers are not overlooked.
“No matter where you are, businesses are still responsible for providing equitable opportunities for everyone,” said Jen Morris, executive job search coach. “Those who actively manage their careers and learn how to do this remotely. Those are the people I think can be successful.”
How many people returned to the office?
The number of people working remotely has begun to decline since May 2020, when over 60% of the days spent working from home in May 2020, the number of people working remotely has begun to decline, according to data from WFH Research. By June 2025, that number had shrunk to about 27%. It’s a sharp drop, but it’s a huge increase from about 5% in 2019.
According to a KPMG study, CEOs predict that numbers could change again. 17% assume that these roles will be hybrid, and only 4% assume that they are completely remote.
Remote workers often emphasize their ability to focus on the home from chatty colleagues, but the question of whether they are really more productive than employees in the office is uncontroversial. People also weigh trade-offs such as “wasteful” real estate and morale declines, questioning whether strict return missions are cost-effective for businesses.
Why do many women work more remotely than men?
According to Labor Bureau data, the proportion of employers working from home has dropped slightly from 35% in 2023 to 33% in 2024. During that time, the proportion of women working remotely remained stable at around 36%, while the proportion of men doing the same thing fell from 34% to 29%.
Although traditional gender roles are crooked, women still spend more time on household chores and are more likely to take on caregivers duties than men. For this reason, Kelly Keydel, managing director and financial advisor at Wealthspire Advisors, said she wasn’t surprised to hear that more women are working from home. She added that women are more likely to receive jobs that don’t require a return to the office, like administrative roles.
Morris said she went through divorce long before the Covid-19 pandemic and worked remotely when needed for 15 years raising two children after her ex-husband moved around the country.
Now, when she helps women find jobs in remote locations, she says she is also looking for them that they normally inevitably look for them.
Self-employed consultant, strategist and content creator Anjel Hartwell said she decided to work from home because she could save money in the office and focus more on being a mother.
“It was really important to me when my child was approaching adolescence and when I was the mother who was there after school for my kids and I was the mom who baked all the brownies for the soccer team,” Hartwell said. “When he was at school, I was on the phone talking to people all over the world… and when it was time for them to go home from school, I was a full-time mom.”
How to avoid overlooking WFH employees
Abigail Gunderson, senior wealth advisor at Tanglewood, said one of the easiest ways for remote employees to maintain the good side of their employer is to do their job well.
“I don’t think there’s a reason why they can’t move forward,” Gunderson said. “I was the boss and this guy works from home and if she’s doing such a great job, she wouldn’t be on my layoff list.”
In addition to maintaining active cameras during virtual meetings, if you want to make them more visible in the workplace, Gunderson suggests asking your boss for lunch. If that is not possible, Morris recommends asking the supervisor if he can frequently email a summary of major milestones. She told me to avoid feeling like you’re bragging.
If you want a salary increase, Morris said you should first ask what you need to create a professional development plan based on your employer’s response. She also suggests using sites such as Glassdoor to learn market value and talk to others in your industry. Heartwell, don’t guess – do the actual math of the salary you need to live a comfortable life and consider it fact when negotiating.
If you want to grow in your career, Morris recommends keep your manager in a loop and finding a mentor in a workplace that is not your boss, keeping your manager in a loop, keeping your company tier in mind. Kiedel said it is important that workers take leave or go on maternity leave, and use industry contacts to stay behind current technology. Hartwell reminds people who don’t need to grow their careers with traditional employers, and also encourages experienced workers to consider consulting and work for themselves.
Contact Rachel Barber at rbarber@usatoday.com and follow her at x @rachelbarber_
