The hidden costs of return-to-office policies on women

The way we work continues to make headlines, with a number of well-known organisations such as Amazon, JP Morgan and Goldman Sachs mandating that employees working in a hybrid way return to the office.

There are numerous reasons for this shift in mindset, including the belief that being in the workplace will improve productivity, collaboration and company culture. However, asking hybrid workers to spend more time in the office can have a profound impact on your workforce, especially when it comes to gender inequity.

Since March 2024, employees in Ireland have had the legal right to request remote or flexible working from their first day of employment. Findings from the 2025 Hays Salary & Recruiting Trends Guide show that nearly three out of four women (73%) plan to exercise their right to request remote work flexible working when they next change job. This is in comparison to less than two-thirds (64%) of men, highlighting the importance of having this flexibility to women. Employers therefore need to consider how RTO (return-to-office) policies could impact gender disparities. 

RTO may cause more women to quit

One of the downsides of implementing RTO mandates is the potential backlash organisations could face from employees, many of whom have been working in a hybrid way since the Covid-19 pandemic. This pushback can lead to disgruntled employees choosing to move jobs, and this is more pronounced for women. 

According to our Employment Trends – 2025 Spring Update survey, 47% of women are currently working in a hybrid way, compared to 41% of men. Women are much more likely than men to say they work most productively at home (45% compared to 35% of men). A further 93% of women say working from home allows them to work in a more efficient way, compared to 85% of men. 

When asked if they would consider leaving their current job if their employer mandated a return-to-office, nearly six in ten of these women (58%) say they would, compared to just under half (48%) of men. This is a critical factor for organisations to consider, given that skills shortages remain stubbornly high – 93% of employers are facing them according to the 2025 Hays Salary & Recruiting Trends Guide.

Hybrid working boosts women’s career progression

Some may argue that being present in the workplace facilitates career progression opportunities. However, in reality, this view can have a negative impact on the development of talented female team members.

A recent IWG survey of more than 1,000 US women takes a closer look at the wider benefits that hybrid working has on their career development. The insights show that 67% of the women surveyed believe hybrid working has helped to level the playing field for career progression. A further 66% think hybrid working has opened up new opportunities for them at work, and 53% say the flexibility offered by hybrid working has helped empower them to apply for a promotion.

The financial costs of RTO could affect women more

The Hays Employment Trends – 2025 Spring Update survey also delved into the financial costs of RTO mandates, and the findings revealed that the impacts to finances would be more keenly felt by women than their male counterparts.

For example, the top factor impacting women’s decision to return to the office on a more regular basis was the cost of commuting, with 71% identifying this obstacle compared to 60% of men. A further 65% of women said their commuting costs would increase significantly if they had to work in the office full time, compared to 55% of men.

Working mums would also feel the pinch of returning to the office. According to the OECD, Ireland has some of the highest childcare costs in the world, further adding to the financial hit that working parents would take should RTO policies become more widespread.

To help offset these challenges, pay rises, subsidised travel or childcare payments, or on-site childcare facilities could be useful incentives worth considering by organisations choosing to ask employees to frequent the office more regularly.

Key considerations for employers

With women appearing to bear the brunt of return-to-office policies from a financial, productivity and career progression standpoint, the realities of implementing such mandates should be seriously considered by employers thinking about changing their hybrid working policies.

To avoid losing talented female staff members, steps should be taken to mitigate these impacts, such as through offering financial incentives to RTO workers, continuing to invest in DE&I initiatives including unconscious bias training for managers, and ensuring fair career progression and development opportunities are available to all staff members, wherever they’re based.

Discover further insights and recommendations to help your organisation build a more diverse and inclusive workplace in our latest Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Report.