Many hybrid, remote workers miss out on job promotions, survey finds

More than a quarter of employees working in hybrid or remote setups feel they are missing out on job promotions and opportunities, according to a recent study from United Culture.

The "Work Remastered 2024" study, which surveyed 1,000 office workers in the UK and US, found that 27% of flexible office workers believe they have been overlooked for advancement.

The issue is especially pronounced among millennials and older Gen-Z workers, who are increasingly occupying management roles. According to the study, 37% of those aged 25 to 34 and 42% of those aged 35 to 44 feel they have been passed over for promotions.

"Working patterns have transformed post-pandemic. However, it seems many employers are yet to grasp the extent to which the new 'norms' have become embedded in the public consciousness, or they are trying to drag their people back to the office regardless," said Mavis Boniface, global operations director at United Culture, in a statement.

Major push for office return

The findings come as many organisations implement stringent measures to ensure employees comply with their return-to-office mandate. In Australia, the Commonwealth Bank said it is linking employees' bonuses and performance rankings to their on-site attendance.

According to the report, 25% of respondents said their company has limited their flexible working options, a figure that jumps to 44% among employees aged 18 to 24.

This major push for office return comes despite work-life balance and flexibility remaining the top priorities for employees.  According to the report, 43% of the respondents cite work-life balance as crucial to their workplace experience, while another 27% cited flexibility.

In fact, 57% of workers would consider leaving their jobs if their employer restricted flexible working options.

"Flexibility is clearly important to all types of employees, but especially to younger employees who are the future leaders. If those who work flexibly are missing out on opportunities and promotions, it means they will leave and go somewhere else – and no organisation can afford to lose talent."

According to Boniface, people who work flexibly should be treated similarly and given development opportunities provided to those working on-site.

"It comes down to a cultural shift within each organisation," she said. "If leaders reward presenteeism over productivity, their businesses are in colossal trouble."