Which Gender Benefits More From The Work-From-Home Arrangement?

We now have the benefit of the findings from several studies to tackle this topic. We will not duplicate what is widely available on google here, for that is boring. And for those out for a quick answer, rest assured that both genders derive benefits and losses of WFH in equal measure. And this is true when we place the purpose of the job at hand before the pursuit of creature comforts. The other way around would yield results beyond my scope today.

The hard fact two years into the mainstreaming of WFH as the norm rather than the exception it once was in disaster recovery plans, or occasionally by doctor's orders, is that the innovations supported WFH has now proved a better way of working. The exceptions here of course are the jobs that need a physical presence to undertake, as is the case with nurses and mechanics.

Productivity levels in several instances are higher than would be the case when physically present in workplaces.

It affords us a much higher experience for it neither pollutes the environment nor does it cost us more in time and money. Everyone is winning big, so we think. But we have losers.

Owners of office blocks are counting their losses. Architects and builders have simply moved on with accommodation related projects. We have as many lady office-block owners as we have men, and on that account, both genders are losing out courtesy of WFH programs.

When researching the topic, I found what the tobacco industry did to confuse the public on the obvious dangers of smoking from way back in the '60s. And similarly, the WFH concept will continuously encounter industry cooked lies to keep us working away from home, all its obvious benefits notwithstanding.

The oil industry, real estate agents, owners and other directly affected sectors will weave and peddle narratives off their generous market development budgets, to get you back on the 10th floor.

Stanford University's science historian, Robert Proctor, in studying the tobacco industry coined the term "Agnotology".

"Agnotology is the study of wilful acts to spread confusion and deceit, usually to sell a product or win favour."

The industries in our focus, are driven by stakeholders of both genders. They earn a living from our daily commute, the lunches that we eat, the square footage that we rent in office space, et al.

Let's reason together. When organisations have a common owner, they are referred to as sister companies. So, organisations are shes! right! The misogynist now thinks that he finally has something to use against the fairer gender.

But think again, the corporate spirit is masculine in nature, hence the use of military strategy logic and other cutthroat methods, besides, mimicking survival instincts best espoused by Charles Darwin's theories around the survival of the species.

This comes out clearly in History Channel's documentary, The Men Who Built America. The man nicknamed The Commodore, Cornelius Vanderbilt, John D. Rockefeller, Andrew Carnegie, J. P. Morgan, and Henry Ford took steps that pained many in their pursuit of wealth and power, but they did it anyway to stamp their masculinity. Sometimes, board members ask lady executives to man up or to have balls made of steel. I guess these are calls for the toughness in approach on company matters.

That aside, the misinformation against WFH shall be selfishly driven by members of both genders in equal measure, with real or steel balls, so long as they benefit from it. Our saving grace is in the fact that we've tested and tasted WFH.

It no longer is anything about which gender benefits more from WFH. It is about saving as much money and time for the family as possible, and which of the genders when on the saddle is more likely to endorse WFH.

Consider that perhaps as much as 50% of the workforce initially don't need to work from offices away from their homes. This percentage is expected to increase with time. Boards of directors ought to add this number alongside other important ratios under their watch. There is now a correlation between employee satisfaction and WFH.

The government must now step in to help grow incomes through WFH savings. Much as it gains from oil revenues, it is time to cut the waste in unnecessary travel and related costs. We must make the growth of the digital economy a big priority. We must stop running on the same surface with mice.

The masculinisation of women decision-makers in the corporate and business world through actions taken in response to rivals moves is akin to what lady Pharaohs and Queens did. As commanders-in-chief, they made decisions where men died in battle without letting out tears.

With the growing number of women in leadership roles, our heading's question becomes a very hazy one to answer. It is safer to conclude that both genders benefit or lose out in equal measure. And when it trends as an effective cost-cutting measure to overcome or keep abreast with competitors, WFH will win and so will our vigilance so that our agnotology picks nothing sinister .