Return-to-Office (RTO) Mandates Are Quietly Widening the Gender Gap

Remote work can help parents, especially mothers, stay in the workforce.

A recent survey from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics confirms what many working mothers already know: return-to-office (RTO) mandates are making it harder to stay—and succeed—at work. The gender gap is growing, and rigid work policies are part of the reason.

As one expert put it in a recent HR Grapevine article:

“A lot of mothers may have no choice but to stay home because they can’t find or afford childcare. And of course, it’s the woman that’s going to have to stay home because she’s making less compared to working fathers. That’s the motherhood penalty.”

This reflects a dynamic Harvard economist and Nobel laureate Claudia Goldin calls greedy work—jobs that disproportionately reward long, rigid hours. When families need to rebalance, the lower earner (still more likely to be the mother) often steps back. That’s one reason why flexibility isn’t just a perk—it’s central to closing the gender wage gap.

Why Accommodation Isn’t Always the Answer

When rolling out or enforcing RTO mandates, some employers may assume employees with caregiving responsibilities will simply request a family status accommodation. But in practice, it’s not so simple:

• Women are more likely to need flexibility—and more likely to bear the stigma of asking for it.

• Many employees don't feel safe disclosing caregiving responsibilities, especially in workplaces with poor psychological safety or inconsistent support.

• Responses vary by manager, even when official policies are in place.

• For some, leaving quietly is easier than advocating for themselves.

Even well-intentioned RTO policies can deepen inequity if they aren’t implemented with care and ongoing monitoring.

What Employers Can Do

If your organization has already implemented an RTO mandate, and full flexibility isn’t feasible, consider these steps to reduce unintended harm:

• Regularly assess workplace outcomes by gender and caregiving status: Look at trends in promotions, compensation, absenteeism, turnover, and performance reviews.

• Apply an intersectional lens: Are there disproportionate impacts on single parents, newcomers, racialized women, or employees with disabilities?

• Use available tools: The Ontario Human Rights Commission’s human rights-based policy development tool is free and designed to help employers identify and address potential discrimination in policies like RTO mandates.

And most importantly: work with legal counsel who understands the human rights implications of workplace flexibility. Because when it comes to discrimination, it’s not your intention that matters—it’s the impact.

Need support evaluating your RTO policy or developing inclusive, legally compliant flexibility frameworks?

I help employers design and assess workplace policies with both legal risk and gender equity in mind. Whether you’re implementing a return-to-office mandate, responding to a family status request, or monitoring outcomes to reduce bias, I can help.

👉 Learn more about my services or get in touch for a consultation.