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Summary.
There has been a massive shift in how work gets done inside many companies and the global pivot to working remotely will likely change how many think about face time and rigid work schedules. Might these changes benefit women? The authors argue that will depend on how leaders handle the crisis in relation to their female talent and they suggest four things every executive should do. First, pay extra mind to the biases against mothers and how having their motherhood on display right now (think kid crying in the background on a videoconference) might invoke those biases. Second, pare down the pressure, especially on caregivers who have many demands on their time right now. Third, make sure your virtual meetings are run equitably and women’s contributions aren’t glided over. Last, keep virtual gatherings inclusive so that women are excluded from networking opportunities.In these difficult times, we’ve made a number of our coronavirus articles free for all readers. To get all of HBR’s content delivered to your inbox, sign up for the Daily Alert newsletter.
The Covid-19 crisis has reconfigured how we work, parent, and care for ourselves and our communities. It remains uncertain how a post-pandemic society will function, but already a consensus is emerging that the global pivot to working remotely will likely change how many companies think about face time and rigid work schedules.