Working from home has opened up new possibilities for women — but it hasn’t solved everything. While remote work brings flexibility, it also surfaces deep-rooted inequalities that still persist in how we work, live, and share responsibilities. For many women, working from home has started to feel a lot like working from everywhere, all the time. And the toll is real.
Let’s explore the current landscape, the opportunities and the challenges, and how we can move forward — together.
Are we sliding back to 1950s gender roles?
Flexible work was meant to level the playing field. But research shows the burden of domestic responsibilities still falls heavily on women.
The idea of shared parenting and domestic equality is still far from the reality in many households. And remote working, without clear boundaries, can make this divide feel even wider.
The danger? A subtle return to the 1950s dynamic, where women are “present” for work, while still expected to keep the household running. The outcome is burnout, guilt, and a deeply unequal experience of flexibility.
The flexibility stigma
Flexible work should empower. But for many working mothers, it brings stigma.
Recent research and studies show that women using flexible arrangements are more likely to be seen as less committed or productive. That perception doesn’t just hurt confidence — it impacts promotions, pay progression, and how women are represented in leadership.
To create a truly fair flexible working culture, we need to challenge these assumptions — and redesign the systems that sustain them.
When both parents are working remotely, you'd hope that housework and childcare would be shared. But that’s often not the case.
Today, around half of employees continue to work remotely in some capacity. But when the home doubles as the workplace, the mental load often increases — particularly for women. From organising meals to managing routines and household chores, these responsibilities are still disproportionately carried by women, even while balancing professional demands.
This comes down to the weight of ingrained societal expectations, not individual effort. Many people still hold the view that mothers should stay at home or work part-time when their children are young. These attitudes don’t just stay at home — they influence how women are perceived and treated in the workplace, even if those assumptions aren’t always voiced.
Hybrid work isn’t automatically equal
Hybrid work sounds like the solution — but only if it’s done well.
Tally Workspace helps bridge the gap by offering women (and men) a third option: remote work outside the home. Whether it’s a coworking space, a local café, or a serviced office, Tally gives teams the freedom to choose where they work best.
It’s about creating psychological separation and making space for focused work, while still holding space for domestic life. It can also be a lifeline for carers, parents, and anyone juggling complex responsibilities.
Tally Workspace is rooted in the belief that people work best when they feel trusted and supported. And that includes parents, carers, and professionals who are working from home but deserve the same respect and recognition as their office-based peers.
Shared workspaces give women the freedom to focus on their careers without the constant pull of domestic responsibilities. It’s a practical way to separate home life from work and create space to thrive professionally.
If your company hasn’t reopened its offices or if hybrid working is the norm, a flexible workspace plan is a smart move. It provides privacy, structure, and balance — all of which can help protect women from the pressure of presenteeism.
To avoid reinforcing outdated gender roles, leaders need to go beyond policy. They need to model the behaviour.
When male colleagues take advantage of flexible working, it helps shift perceptions. As The Conversation notes, in cultures with more progressive gender norms, flexibility doesn’t lead to a return to traditional domestic roles.
Real equality means recognising the invisible load — emotional, domestic, and organisational — that many women carry. Flexible working can support that, but only when employers address the full picture.
Redesigning the future of work
The shift to remote and hybrid working is our chance to get this right. We have the data, the tools, and the opportunity to create work environments that are genuinely inclusive, balanced, and supportive of different needs.
The idea isn’t to replicate the office at home — or vice versa — but to create flexibility that works for everyone.
Need help finding the right space to support your team’s productivity, wellbeing, and work-life balance?
At Tally Workspace, we specialise in flexible workspace solutions that work for real people with real lives. From hybrid strategies to private day offices, we help businesses give their teams more choice — and better outcomes.
Talk to our team about creating a working setup that works for everyone.
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