A shift to remote-work arrangements is showing signs of boosting the lagging share of women in the labor force as the economy recovers from the pandemic. That is a good thing for U.S. economic growth and productivity, although economists say that workers who never come back to the office risk isolating themselves from promotions and networking opportunities.
Companies are increasingly offering remote and hybrid work arrangements as a perk to hire workers, particularly at larger firms, and women appear to be embracing the flexibility. A February survey of job seekers by hiring platform
ZipRecruiter Inc.
found that women were twice as likely as men, 26% versus 13%, to say they were only looking for remote work.
That increased flexibility could help retain women in the workforce and counter the sharp decline in female workers early in the…