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Remote Workers Are Losing Out on Promotions, New Data Shows
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Remote Workers Are Losing Out on Promotions, New Data Shows

New data shows that people who log on from home five days a week get fewer promotions and less mentoring than people in the office

Te-Ping Chen
The Wall Street Journal, 2024
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Journalist Te-Ping Chen of The Wall Street Journal reports on studies showing that remote workers are promoted less often than those who work on-site. In some cases, leaders’ preference for in-office workers affects remote employees’ raises and promotions. Even though in-person collaboration, networking, and mentorship help foster career growth, companies still need to ensure growth opportunities for their remote workers. While hybrid workers are promoted much like in-office employees, fully remote workers – despite being more productive – are rewarded and promoted less often. However, Chen reports, many remote workers are willing to sacrifice career advancement to gain a better work-life balance.

Summary

Remote workers received promotions 31% less often than in-office and hybrid employees.

In the post-COVID workforce, many employees are seeking completely remote jobs. However, Data Technologies research analyzing two million white-collar employees found a downside to working at home: fully remote workers are not being promoted as often as their in-office or hybrid colleagues.

The study showed that 5.6% of in-office or hybrid workers were promoted in 2023, as opposed to only 3.9% of remote workers. Executive and managers are trying to pull their employees back into the office, but – according to the US Census Bureau and the Bureau of Labor Statistics – 20% of college-educated employees continue to work remotely full-time.

In a KPMG online survey of 1,325 CEOs in 11 nations, 90% say they’re likelier to give plum assignments, promotions, and increased pay to...

About the Author

Te-Ping Chen writes for The Wall Street Journal and has worked for the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists. He is also the author of a book of short stories, Land of Big Numbers.

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