This post was originally published on the blog of the Institute for Women's Policy Research website.

Workplace flexibility leads to a healthier work-life balance.  

March 13 marks the 5th anniversary of President Trump’s COVID-19 emergency declaration. In the wake of the pandemic, telework increased drastically, particularly for workers in professional and managerial jobs. This allowed businesses to keep operating and employees to continue earning a paycheck while also helping to slow the spread of the coronavirus.  

Hybrid work models continued to grow in popularity post-COVID, and full-time in-office policies dropped from 49 percent in 2023 to 32 percent in 2024, according to one survey. Currently, about 1 in 4 workers work remotely in the United States, and 68 percent of US firms offer workplace flexibility. Research has shown that work-life balance policies can benefit both the company and the employee if they are properly implemented and managed.    

However, as the world has recovered from the pandemic, many employers are pushing back. The current Trump administration issued a memorandum instructing all federal employees to fully return to the office, and one recent survey found that 79 percent of CEOs envision the working environment returning fully to the office over the next three years. But is it wise to return to a pre-COVID-19 rigid work model?  

Allowing employees to set their schedules can lead to less stress and improved overall health and quality of life. Employees who feel healthier and less stressed are generally more productive and engaged. Having workplace flexibility also allows people to integrate fitness and exercise into their daily lives, which is linked to improved cognitive function and focus, enhanced energy levels, and increased resilience while also reducing burnout. Women, in particular, tend to report more positive results from exercise, even though they also report that they are more likely than men to skip exercise due to stress and have less time than men to exercise.  

Who has access to workplace flexibility? How does it impact their ability to exercise? 

IWPR’s new report, Workplace Flexibility Matters: Gender, Race, and Ethnicity and the Likelihood of Exercising, complements these general findings by analyzing the link between the flexibility workers have over their schedules and the likelihood of exercising. Analyzing data prior to the pandemic, IWPR’s research found that men were significantly more likely than women to have access to remote work—29.3 percent of men and 28.5 percent of women were able to work from home. White and Asian women were more likely to have access to remote work, at 32.8 and 30.8 percent, respectively, and Black and Latina women were significantly less likely, at 18.8 and 18.1 percent, respectively.  

The research also found that those with the highest levels of educational attainment, in the highest-status and higher-paying occupations, and with the highest earnings, were more likely to have control over their work schedules and location. Women workers in management and professional occupations were more likely to telework than women in service and retail occupations—sectors that Latina and Black women were more likely to work in. However, even if they work in management and professional occupations, Black and Latina women were still less likely to have access to remote work than other women.  

The likelihood of exercising varies depending on gender, race/ethnicity, and socioeconomic status, with all men being 18.8 percent likely to do so, while all women were 17.2 percent likely, per IWPR’s report. Latina and White women were most likely to exercise (19.0 and 17.9 percent, respectively) compared to Asian and Black women (15.4 and 12.4 percent, respectively). Furthermore, women who were in the top third of earners were found to be 1.7 times more likely to exercise than women in the lowest third (22.8 and 13.5 percent, respectively). However, with access to remote work, the likelihood of exercising increases for women (41.4 percent more likely), especially for Black and Asian women (91.7 and 165.9 percent more likely, respectively). Therefore, increasing access to remote work can help employees across different genders and racial and ethnic breakdowns adopt healthier lifestyles by allowing them more time to exercise.  

Flexible work promotes well-being and reduces health inequities. 

It’s clear that workplace flexibility allows workers to maintain a healthy work-life balance, including allowing time to exercise, but as IWPR’s research shows, these benefits are not distributed equally. And while there is no evidence that flexible work reduces productivity, there is evidence that suggests moving away from flexible work options may negatively impact employees’ well-being and health. Instead of this current push to get everyone back to the office, access to workplace flexibility should widen beyond the typical occupations that currently offer it. Policymakers should also support improved access to workplace flexibility as a tool for tackling inequality in health in the United States. 

 

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