In 2025, achieving workplace gender equality remains a work in progress rather than a reality, with policies and practices varying drastically from country to country. Even in places renowned for their progressive gender policies, such as the Nordic region, challenges persist. Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Norway, and Iceland all report an unadjusted gender pay gap, which results in lower lifetime earnings and a higher risk of old-age poverty among women than men.

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In other nations where women have been active participants in the workforce and seemingly equal contributors to national economies for many decades, underlying issues persist. The United States is one example, with the nation’s gender pay gap resulting in an average loss of approximately $500,000 in earnings per woman over a 30-year career. This is in large part due to women's roles as primary caregivers, leading them to take extended career breaks. Consequently, women occupy only 6% of CEO positions in the US, resulting in disproportionately smaller female representation among high earners and decision-makers.

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Progress can stagnate or reverse even in historically leading countries due to evolving social and economic climates and poor policy implementation. For example, in 2025, the UK received its lowest ranking in a decade for workplace gender equality.

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In regions like East and Southeast Asia, deeply rooted gender stereotypes and traditional societal norms have an even stronger impact on workplace inequality, with unpaid care work, including caring for children and seniors, disproportionately falling on women and forcing them to play the balancing act between the roles of full-time employees and primary caregivers.

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With all this said, we invite you to explore the major challenges of workplace gender equality in an increasingly globalized and digitalized world and examine how international remote companies can create equal opportunity and implement changes that genuinely benefit female employees at all levels while aligning with broader business objectives.

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The female experience: understanding common issues and workplace gender bias

As suggested by Prof. Claudia Goldin’s Nobel-winning research on workplace gender equality, the idea that gender pay gaps shrink as economies grow is a myth: women continue to be professionally underrepresented and underpaid even in prosperous societies if motherhood is regarded as a major career disruption. To make matters worse, the pay gap widens with time as years dedicated to raising children pose concrete barriers to women’s career advancement and leadership, resulting in lower lifetime earnings or, in the worst-case scenario, economic dependency. Another factor is job segregation. Apart from traditionally female-dominated fields, this also holds true for sectors such as HR, virtual assistance, customer support, digital marketing, copywriting, and online education. Although these are well-regarded, highly skilled positions, they often come with lower salaries compared to male-dominated roles within the same companies, even when the jobs require similar qualifications and expertise.

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Monetary inequality aside, where the doors of equal employment opportunities open for women, the doors to the nursery and the kitchen remain agape, forcing them to rush back and forth trying to accommodate both professional and family responsibilities. This phenomenon is known as the double burden and is particularly pronounced in East Asia’s rapidly growing economies, where having a stay-at-home parent is no longer a financially viable option for many urban households. Ironically, these expectations of women to multitask go hand in hand with discriminatory employment practices and a very narrow ‘marriage-appropriate’ age gap that often matches the crucial age for establishing oneself in a professional environment.

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As women reenter the workforce after maternity leave, which is an essential (for some, inevitable) part of childrearing, they may find their career progression at risk. In countries such as the US, Mexico, Japan, and South Korea, taking over 3 months off to care for a newborn is considered a luxury in the first place. Regardless, the parental leave penalty extends far beyond the initial time off work and manifests itself in a variety of ways, from the fear of losing one’s job and unspoken discouragement of extended maternity leave within the company to losing access to promotion OR being expected to de-prioritize family as one moves up to executive and leadership positions.

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Are hybrid and remote workplaces ahead of traditional work settings in terms of gender equality?

In their essence, yes—but terms and conditions apply.

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In companies where it’s possible to work either partially or fully from one’s preferred location, female employees report less or no day-to-day gender discrimination. Hybrid and remote workplaces can also ease the notorious double burden for women who balance careers and families by offering more flexible schedules that align with their household routines and by freeing up those few hours that would otherwise be spent on commuting for childcare—or essential self-care, which often gets de-prioritized in motherhood.

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On the flip side, hybrid or remote working arrangements can perpetuate existing inequalities if the available benefits are limited to the home office, which is often seen as another opportunity for women to handle a disproportionate share of the domestic workload and childcare, with blurred lines between housework and ‘real’ work. During a critical period of early motherhood, which is often accompanied by reduced social contact and a disconnect from previous support networks, women who hold remote positions may feel more isolated socially and professionally. For companies with diverse international teams, there is an additional challenge of accommodating female employees from cultures with vastly varying societal expectations and accepted norms around motherhood.

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What actionable win-win solutions can international remote companies offer to attract and retain female talent?

A gender-inclusive work environment is only possible if companies provide clear return-to-work support, normalize sufficient parental leave and offer it regardless of gender, and actively encourage women's career growth beyond their caregiving roles. In this environment, female employees thrive both personally and professionally, rather than merely balancing work and family duties. While being remote can give a company a head start when it comes to seeking out exceptional female talent without geographical limits, the following strategies are essential and beneficial for women and their employers alike:

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• Offer fair and transparent pay. Ensure the salaries your company offers are based on job title, responsibilities, and relevant experience—nothing else. 

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🌟OUTCOME: higher employee retention and satisfaction with healthier dynamics within teams.

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• Encourage maternity AND paternity leave. Provide equal parental leave for all employees to create a balanced experience of engaged, present parenthood, regardless of gender. This approach helps reduce the disproportionate impact of career breaks on women.

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🌟OUTCOME: securing high-quality female talent that might otherwise be unavailable due to traditional workplace constraints.

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• Make your benefits flexible and equitable. Whether it’s childcare support for parents, mental health resources, or flexible hours for caregivers, offer benefits that cater not only to different geographical locations but also to employees' varying seasons of life.

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🌟OUTCOME: increased creativity and productivity, as employees are empowered to work in ways that suit their lives.

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• Focus on Results, Not Availability. If applicable to the position, measure performance based on outcomes rather than hours worked, and shift away from the paradigm of prioritizing personal over virtual presence on a day-to-day basis.

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🌟OUTCOME: long-term loyalty as employees navigate life transitions with a sense of safety and support.

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As an EOR provider,

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We can help you do this and more. Whether your company is seeking ways to enhance existing HR policies and procedures or establish the system from scratch, our HR Plus solution offers powerful and comprehensive support in creating workplaces where both men and women thrive and stay.

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Our team is happy to provide you with detailed information. Book a meeting with our expert or submit a request form, and we’ll be in touch with you soon!