Part 2 Leveling the Playing Field: Remote Work as a Path to?EQUITY

Part 2 Leveling the Playing Field: Remote Work as a Path to?EQUITY

Equity is often conflated with equality, so let’s get clear about what they both mean. I define equity as fair and just practices and policies that ensure all employees have opportunities and access to thrive and participate as they need. While equality aims for everyone to have the same tools/access/opportunities, equity aims for each employee to have the customized tools/access/opportunities they need to succeed. It seeks to dismantle systems of inequity. If we want equality and only one person needs reading glasses, either everyone has them or nobody has them?—?we all get the same. If we want equity, the person who needs reading glasses will get them, and people who don’t will, but instead might have their need for an adjustable desk met.

Thinking of equity now beyond physical things, we can begin to apply that concept to broader concepts like access to systems, policies that protect and include folks, and even beliefs and behaviors. The rigidity of the 9-to-5 in-person model has historically widened equity gaps instead of closing them. LinkedIn recently shared data that indicates remote workers received fewer raises than those working in-office or hybrid, widening the impact of inequities that are more likely to affect already marginalized groups. In this section, we will dive into how remote work can create fairer, more accessible workplaces for everyone and how remote work helps to close those gaps.

As discussed in my previous article, PART 1 Unlocking Opportunity: How Remote Work Drives DIVERSITY, many of the challenges faced by underrepresented groups in the workplace are interconnected, and so too are the solutions. The actions we take to address these issues should work together, creating a ripple effect of positive change.

What’s the Problem? The Privileged Few

Traditional workplaces are inherently designed for more privileged groups, who require fewer accommodations and faceless strain from commuting or rigid expectations. Something true across most of the groups below is a persistent wage gap. While addressing pay inequities is critical, marginalized groups remain disadvantaged financially, physically, and mentally when in-person work is required?—?even with equal pay.?

The Impact on the Underprivileged Many

• Disabled and Chronically Ill Workers: According to the CDC, 26% of U.S. adults have a disability, and many face mobility or health challenges exacerbated by inflexible work environments. The unemployment rate for folks with disabilities is twice as high as those without. People with disabilities are underrepresented in management and professional roles. Physical offices may lack the most basic necessities like elevators or quiet rooms, let alone more unique needs like screenreaders. The traditional work hours, locations, and expectations of what productivity looks like penalize employees who can’t meet rigid demands. This is your daily reminder that the ADA is the starting line of accessibility, not the finish line.?
• Caregivers: Women often bear disproportionate caregiving responsibilities and face higher financial burdens (e.g. childcare, commuting). Caregivers of elders and single parents, particularly women of color, face significant barriers in balancing work and caregiving responsibilities due to inflexible schedules. During the pandemic, women were 1.5 times more likely than men to leave their jobs due to caregiving demands.?
• Women: The gender gap in pay has remained relatively stable in the United States over the past 20 years or so. In 2022, women earned less than men, with women of color faring even worse. Pew Research has a tool that allows you to check the pay gap in your area.

• Low-income Workers in Rural Areas: Not only does proximity to urban brick-and-mortar buildings create inequity, but these are exasperated by limited access to broadband and public transportation, further marginalizing this group. Urban residents have 5x more access to job opportunities than rural workers due to the centralization of industries.
• Neurodivergent Employees: The rigid schedules can be one obstacle for neurodivergent employees. So, too, can the designs of traditional office environments, especially with the open-concept office trends. Sensory overload, lack of quiet spaces, and little autonomy impact the opportunities to thrive and participate as they may need. Autistic adults have an employment rate of 29%, one of the lowest among people with disabilities.
• Immigrant and Refugee Workers: Immigrant workers on visas (e.g., H-1B, L-1) face challenges such as limited job mobility, salary disparities, and fear of retaliation. Immigrant workers often face employer biases, lack of access to technology, and heightened exploitation risks, particularly if they are undocumented or non-native English speakers. Being treated like “less than” is a clear violation of equity.
• LGBTQIA+ Workers: Many LGBTQIA+ employees experience workplace harassment and microaggressions, leading to emotional stress and lower job satisfaction. Those living in less accepting regions face compounded challenges when working in person.
• People of Color: Employees of color report higher rates of microaggressions and exclusionary practices, leading to disengagement and higher turnover rates.?
• Entry-Level and Early Career Workers: Rising costs of commuting and in-person job expectations disproportionately impact young professionals, who often lack the financial stability to absorb these burdens.

What’s the Fix?: Key Actions for?Change

Looking for ways to build more equity into all aspects of employment intersects with diversity (numbers) and inclusion (experiences). Building equitable systems and practice is not promoting people only because they are marginalized, as anti-DEI folks would like you to believe, it is a re-evaluation and correcting of what and who is valued and why. LinkedIn recently shared data that indicates remote workers received fewer raises (56%) than those working in-office (59%) or hybrid (64%) demonstrating that the inequities of already marginalized groups must be intentionally and strategically mitigated.

• Normalize Remote Work for All: Treat remote work as a standard, not a special accommodation. By embracing remote work for anyone, organizations can create more equitable opportunities for workers from all demographics. When it is a default option, it empowers all employees to work remotely without stigma while leveling access to career opportunities, especially for marginalized groups. Orgs can determine how to best invest in and utilize online communication platforms to encourage asynchronous collaboration and support remote working.
• Develop DEI-Focused Policies: As part of DEI(JB) work, create equity-centered policies prioritizing fairness over uniformity. The phrase “Nothing about us, without us” is key?—?workplace policies should be shaped by the voices of those impacted by them. This approach ensures that any changes made reflect actual (not assumed) needs and improve the work experience for marginalized groups, such as those with disabilities, women, and people of color.
• Proactively Align Behavior with Policy: Training managers to understand unconscious bias and how to equitably support remote employees is crucial. When behaviors and beliefs are aligned with inclusive policies, the organization’s culture shifts toward true equity. Equity can become part of reviews and assessments to ensure it is top of mind as a priority and expectation throughout an organization.?
• Invest in Tailored Support: Provide stipends for ergonomic equipment, internet access, and other tools, allowing employees to define what they individually need to thrive remotely. This tailored support of individual needs, fosters fairness and opportunity for all employees.
• Support Immigrant Workers: Flexible remote work options can alleviate some of the burdens faced by immigrant and refugee workers on visas, such as limited job mobility and concerns over retaliation.
• Create Inclusive Remote Work Career Pathways: Proactively recruit and support folks from underrepresented groups in leadership positions for remote or hybrid teams. There must be intentional predictions that ensure remote workers are recieving equity in raises, bonuses, and promotions. Representation at the top fosters inclusivity and equity throughout the organization.
• Address the Gender Pay Gap: Whether remote working or not, companies must address the inequity of gender pay gaps, if we’re not being paid equitably it is unlikely other equity-building initiatives will make much more than a dent in the problematic status quo.?

How Remote Work Advances?Equity

Remote Work Improves Accessibility and Flexibility

1. Accessibility & Autonomy: By leveraging remote work, employees with specific needs gain equitable access to accommodations like screen readers, voice-controlled software, ergonomic setups, noise-canceling apps, and adjusted lighting often unavailable or impractical in shared office spaces. Remote work allows employees to operate in personal spaces designed for their specific mobility, sensory, or technological needs in more equitable ways. Tailored accommodations also reduce risks of non-compliance with ADA or similar regulations, avoiding potential lawsuits and fines.
2. Asynchronous Collaboration: Equitable workplaces acknowledge that not everyone thrives on the same schedule or communication style. Remote tools support asynchronous work, giving employees more control over how and when they contribute and fostering equity by enabling employees to contribute on their terms without penalization. An employee can complete work remotely during their peak energy periods or availability rather than adhering to a consistently rigid 9-to-5 schedule.
3. Protects Employee Privacy: Equitable workplaces respect individual needs for privacy around accommodations or cultural practices. Remote work allows employees to manage their health, caregiving, or personal responsibilities with less fear of judgment or bias. By reducing the need for masking symptoms, navigating ableist environments, or disclosing disabilities, neurodiversity, or chronic illness remote work allows for more equitable experiences.

Equity for Caregivers and?Women

1. Bridging Gender Inequities: Remote work enables women, more likely to be caregivers, to remain employed and access higher-paying roles that were geographically or logistically inaccessible. Remote work can lead to more consistent workforce participation and increase the amount of take-home pay that might otherwise be spent on commuting and other necessities required for in-person work. The amount women save when working remotely is significant, providing one small step towards redressing gender pay inequities.
2. Benefits for Caregivers: Employees with young children say remote work allows them to stay employed during periods of intense caregiving. By eliminating commute times and offering greater scheduling flexibility, remote work empowers caregivers to manage their dual roles more effectively remaining active in the workforce without sacrificing care responsibilities. It can also support caregivers, particularly women, who may face barriers and discrimination as caregivers in traditional workplaces or struggle with non-existent or minimal paid family leave.

Remote Work Supports Economic and Environmental Justice

1. Enhances Economic Mobility: Remote work often provides access to higher-paying jobs without requiring individuals to relocate, which can be especially beneficial for marginalized group members. Virtual learning platforms and mentorship programs can connect underrepresented employees to live and asynchronous career-advancing resources regardless of geography.
2. Environmental Benefits: Pollution disproportionately affects low-income communities located near highways or industrial zones. Remote work reduces commuting-related pollution, improving public health outcomes in these areas. A study by Global Workplace Analytics suggests that if all remote-compatible jobs were performed remotely even half the time, urban air pollution would significantly decrease, improving public health in historically marginalized areas.

Reducing Bias and Advancing Fairness

1. Reduced Bias: Remote-first strategies can also provide fairer assessments of employee contributions by focusing on outputs rather than presence or office politics. Remote work minimizes the amount of bias, particularly microaggressions, and emotional tax that employees from underrepresented groups are managing.

The Business of Equity: Why Fairness Pays?Off

Still not convinced remote work is the Equity dream maker I’ve made it out to be? Maybe these stats will help convince you (or your boss) that equity is not only a decent human route but also a good business practice. In addition to the ways the benefits mentioned in my first article also apply to equity, the following are specific ways that equity improves business.

1. Improved Employee Engagement and Retention: Employees who feel their company invests in fairness and equitable treatment are 3X more likely to stay with their employer and 4X more likely to be engaged at work. Higher retention rates reduce turnover costs, which can range from 50% to 200% of an employee’s annual salary depending on the role. A fair workplace minimizes the hidden costs of conflict, such as lost productivity and morale, which also impacts retention and engagement numbers.
2. Boosting Innovation Through Equity-Centered Practices: Teams that operate with equitable practices, such as ensuring all voices are heard and valued, are 3.5 times more likely to outperform their peers in innovation metrics. Equity enables underrepresented employees to contribute ideas with less fear of bias, leading to more diverse problem-solving approaches.
3. Reputation as an Employer of Choice: 78% of employees consider equity and fairness as critical factors when evaluating potential employers, especially among Gen Z and Millennials (Glassdoor, 2021). Equitable companies are more likely to receive positive reviews on employer-rating sites, which boosts recruitment and brand loyalty.
4. Revenue Benefits from Accessible Products and Services: Equitable workplaces are more likely to design accessible products and services, opening new revenue streams. For example, the global market for assistive technologies is projected to reach $58 billion by 2028 (Fortune Business Insights). An equitable workforce better reflects the needs of a diverse customer base, leading to products that appeal to broader audiences.

Conclusion

Remote work access is one tool for creating lasting change and advancing equitable systems in the workplace. If we want DEIJB to go beyond a checklist, organizations must commit to long-term resources and empower individuals to turn aspirations into reality. To truly unlock the potential of a more diverse workforce with access to more equitable systems, businesses need to make DEIJB a non-negotiable part of their strategy. This investment advances social justice and drives both profitability and long-term success.

So, if you’re ready to make real, sustainable change, I’m here to help. Whether through customized consulting or training, I’m passionate about building more inclusive and thriving workplaces. Let’s work together.

Stay tuned for Part 3 of this series, where we dive deeper into how remote work supports inclusion. I’ll explore the intersection between flexibility, accessibility, and inclusive spaces— and how employees and your company can benefit from these practices.

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