An unprecedented number of women worldwide are leaving their jobs for better opportunities in a trend that's becoming known as 'the great break-up' — that’s according to the recent Women in the Workplace report by McKinsey. 

During the pandemic, women were disproportionately affected by the constraints of schools and offices being closed. Women generally take on more responsibilities at home, and when they found themselves working at the kitchen table, with children learning online next to them, they often had to meet the requirements of two full-time jobs every day. Building a foundation for a more equitable future became an urgent priority for companies, who are increasingly adopting hybrid working as a solution for ensuring their female employees can thrive, in turn helping their businesses succeed.

Leaders are taking note — it’s impossible to ignore the stats. The McKinsey report shows that 20% of respondents switched jobs in the last two years because of flexibility. Women are demanding more from employers and if their needs are not met, they’re taking matters into their own hands and ‘breaking up’ to become their own boss.

Is hybrid working the answer?

As the global workforce increasingly prioritises wellbeing, hybrid working is growing in popularity as a genuinely effective way to address many of the issues faced by women, who historically and still today are seeking more flexibility than their male counterparts. Non-traditional or hybrid working is also becoming more popular amongst men, but there remains a gender gap, as highlighted in a 2022 YouGov survey of 2,177 adults, discussed in this article by The Independent.

Hybrid working enables sharing responsibilities at home more equitably by helping to support childcare and other domestic needs. And women are not the only ones who benefit from hybrid working. It allows people time to care for elderly relatives, to exercise, socialise or even volunteer – all experiences which were once considered luxuries but are now universally recognised as essential to a happy and fulfilled lifestyle.

Farewell to the old ways

For decades, a real balance has been missing in households. Traditional 9-5 working created a stigma against women who left the office to get to the school run, and pitted them against male colleagues, more frequently seen in the office. This often left women feeling inadequate, and even resentful of colleagues and underserved by employers, who failed to create space for life outside of work within a day. Employers are clearly seeing the need to eradicate this imbalance so that women and men can manage their days within equal parameters and expectations.

The pandemic required us to work flexibly, and the hybrid working trend has become a permanent fixture in workplaces across sectors globally, allowing employees to choose to work in the office, close to home, on the train, or in the car, producing successful business outcomes and happy employees. It’s a win-win.

In December 2022, IWG Chief Commercial Official Fatima Koning reflected on how she’d benefited from hybrid working: “In my own life, everything from co-parenting my daughter to eating well and exercising regularly is made easier by the hybrid model. It also allows me to do the job I love at a level of seniority that — without the flexibility hybrid offers — would be impossible.”

Work your way

A 2022 Survey of more than 6,000 women in the US, Mexico, Canada, the UK and India found that hybrid working topped the charts as women’s favourite working model, beating in-office and fully remote working almost everywhere.

Jobseekers are increasingly attracted to employers who offer hybrid working. With advantages for employers as well as countless benefits for employees, it’s the way forward. By choosing a working style that aligns with our needs, we can decrease burnout and boost job satisfaction. Offering hybrid working helps with retention; it encourages women to stay in their jobs, as they have agency and choice and are valued by their colleagues.

Globally, companies are expressing a desire to work towards a fairer world for women, but words are meaningless without affirmative action to support genuine equality. IWG’s Transforming Working Life for Women white paper highlights the need for companies to create clear hybrid working plans to make an equitable world a reality.

Employers who listen to their female workforce are those staving off the ‘great break-up’. Planning workspaces beyond the traditional office environment for hybrid working helps retain your best employees and boost your bottom line.

Contact Regus to find out how our flexible workspaces can help your business thrive.