New research has noted racial disparities in access to working from home (WFH), which in turn raises concerns that return-to-office mandates may not be applied equitably.
The study, published in the Industrial Relations Journal, suggests that certain groups remain less likely to engage in homeworking, even after controlling for employment sector and occupational level.
The findings coincide with the House of Lords’ recent decision to establish a special inquiry committee on home-based working in the UK. The committee will examine how WFH may have exacerbated existing inequalities in the labour market.
While homeworking has increased across all ethnicities since before the pandemic, some groups continue to have lower access to flexible working arrangements. The study found that ethnicity, gender, migration status, and parental responsibilities all played a role in determining WFH rates.
Racial and Gender Disparities in Homeworking
The research, based on UK Labour Force Survey data from 2017 to 2023, found significant differences in WFH rates among different ethnic groups. Black men were notably less likely to work from home than white men, while Black women’s homeworking rates were comparable to white women’s. Chinese and “other Asian” workers—both male and female—were significantly less likely to WFH than their white counterparts.
Parenting status also influenced homeworking patterns. Black fathers were less likely to work remotely than white fathers, and childless men from Chinese, “other Asian,” and Pakistani/Bangladeshi backgrounds engaged in WFH at lower rates than white childless men. Migrants from ethnic minority backgrounds, particularly those of Chinese and Black heritage, had the lowest rates of WFH, regardless of whether they were UK-born or migrant workers.
Although WFH opportunities have expanded since the pandemic, the study suggests that some groups are being left behind. Previous research has shown that employees highly value the benefits of WFH, such as improved work-life balance and reduced commuting time. However, the study indicates that not all workers are equally able to take advantage of these opportunities.
Possible Causes of the Disparity
The researchers suggest several factors that may explain the disparities in WFH. Unconscious bias among managers may be a contributing factor, particularly against Black and migrant workers. A lack of trust in these employees’ productivity while working remotely could lead to them being granted fewer opportunities to WFH.
Weaker bargaining power may also play a role. Employees with lower job security may be hesitant to request flexible work arrangements for fear that it could negatively impact their career progression. Some Black and minority ethnic (BME) workers—particularly men—may avoid WFH due to concerns that it could reinforce negative stereotypes or reduce their visibility in the workplace.
By contrast, some ethnic minority women may be more likely to choose WFH despite potential career disadvantages. For these workers, remote working can offer benefits such as the ability to work longer hours, remain in better-paying jobs, and manage family responsibilities more effectively. A home office may also serve as a refuge from workplace microaggressions.
Calls for Equitable Homeworking Policies
Professor Heejung Chung, Professor of Work and Employment at King’s Business School and Director of the Global Institute for Women’s Leadership at King’s College London, emphasised the need for fair access to remote work.
“On the one hand, it is great to see that much of the gaps in homeworking we found in pre-pandemic periods across workers of different ethnicities have reduced significantly with more workers being able to work from home. Having said that, it is still concerning that some worker groups with the least bargaining power in the UK labour market are unable to access the great resource that is working from home.
“Especially in light of the return-to-office mandates we are seeing more recently, our results indicate that we might end up with a greater disparity between workers with different levels of bargaining power. This may result in greater inequalities in the labour market between workers of different ethnicities and migration backgrounds.”
Shiyu Yuan, PhD candidate in Social Policy at the University of Kent and Research Fellow at the Global Institute for Women’s Leadership at King’s College London, highlighted structural barriers in the workplace.
“The racial disparities in working from home that we found are more than a policy matter – they reflect deeper structural biases in the workplace. Even in this post-pandemic era, when homeworking has become more widespread, BME workers — especially men and migrant workers —still lag behind.
“They often worry that taking up home-working could reinforce negative stereotypes or hinder their career progressions, particularly if they already face added pressures as ethnic minorities with migration backgrounds. It’s clear that simply offering WFH options isn’t enough: employers and policymakers have to tackle these biases and do more to ensure equitable access to homeworking for everyone.”
