Almost Half of Women Are Considering a Career Change to Pursue More Money and Flexibility, According to a New Survey from LinkedIn and Marie Claire

Almost half of women (48%) are considering a career change in the next year to pursue work-from-home flexibility and more money, according to a new survey from LinkedIn, Marie Claire and Future plc. Among the findings, 40% of respondents are currently working full-time from home, 49% are working full-time from a workplace, and 11% are splitting time between the two. The survey asked 1,132 women and non-binary full-time U.S. workers about their experiences and challenges during the course of the pandemic, as well their hopes and expectations for the future of work.

For those who worked from home during the pandemic, 41% want to remain working from home full-time, 33% want to return to their workplace full-time, and 26% want a hybrid arrangement splitting their time between their workplace and home. For those considering changing careers, non-financial reasons included wanting to professionally explore a new passion discovered during the pandemic (32%), no longer enjoying the work they were doing pre-pandemic (24%), realizing from extra time at home with their family that they no longer want work full-time (17%).

“The results of our Marie Claire x LinkedIn survey confirmed what many of us have been feeling: How we work and what we need has changed over the past 18 months and employers need to offer more support and more flexibility when it comes to returning to the office,” said Sally Holmes, Editor-in-Chief of Marie Claire. “Health and safety and flexibility are the top concerns around returning to the office. Nearly one in three of our survey respondents felt that their employer is not doing enough to help women successfully return to work; this is simply unacceptable. We know that women, and especially women of color, have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic. If employers do not evolve with their employees’ needs, they will be welcoming back a diminished, less diverse, and less motivated workforce when offices finally reopen.”

Survey data showed that more than one-third (37%) of women voluntarily left the workforce to care for children or loved ones during the Covid-19 pandemic, and Black (44%) and Latinx (41%) respondents disproportionally reported these disruptions (compared to 32% of White respondents).

Underrepresented groups want to remain working from home full-time the most with 48% of Black women, 41% of Latinx and 41% of Asian-American women wanting a full-time work-from-home option, compared to 28% of White women. Almost one-third (31%) of respondents did not feel that their current employer is doing enough to help women successfully return to work in a post-pandemic environment.

About FutureConnectors. Creators. Experience Makers.

Future is a global multi-platform media company and leading digital publisher, with scalable brands and diversified revenue streams. Every month, it connects over 400 million people worldwide with their passions, through expert content, world-class events and cutting-edge proprietary technology. Every year Future attracts millions of consumers to its brands’ websites, magazines, events and social spaces. Its factual production company Barcroft Studios specialises in producing amazing content, enjoyed and shared by millions of people worldwide.

Its market-leading portfolio of over 240 brands spans technology, games, TV and entertainment, women’s lifestyle, real life, music, creative and photography, sports, home interest and B2B sectors. Brands include Techradar, Gamesradar+, Country Life, woman&home, Marie Claire, Classic Rock, Guitar Player, FourFourTwo, TV Times, Homebuilding & Renovating, Decanter, Digital Camera, Guitarist, How It Works, Total Film, What Hi-Fi? and Music Week.

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