New project under the umbrella of LabFam
We’re very happy to announce our latest success – and a new study ahead!
EXCELLENCE INITIATIVE at the University of Warsaw
Our project “The impact of home-based work on career development prospects of men and women: an experimental study for Poland and the United Kingdom” has received financing in the framework of EXCELLENCE INITIATIVE-RESEARCH UNIVERSITY, priority area “Responding to Global Challenges. Searching for regional solutions to increased mobility, multifaceted inequalities, digital transformation in joint multidisciplinary teams”.
This particular Priority Research Area creates a platform of cooperation for researchers representing various disciplines of social sciences – from economists, geographers, psychologists to sociologists. The aim of this research initiative is to implement innovative research projects at the European and global level, addressing the most important challenges of today’s world. These challenges include, inter alia, growing economic and social inequalities, ubiquitous systemic risks, diversity of mobility and digital transformation. All of these are considered to be global phenomena but they are anchored in local and regional processes and structures. It is at the local and regional level that researchers from the University of Warsaw will seek answers to questions concerning the specificity of these issues, their determinants, dynamics and consequences. The special focus will be placed on Poland and the Central and Eastern Europe but with the reference to broader European and global contexts.
We dive deep into the issue of remote work
While 2020 can be considered the year of remote work, this form of employment is very likely to prevail and gain even more popularity in the coming years. It is easier than ever to stay connected in the era of technological advances and globalisation. Many agree that remote work offers a great level of flexibility, autonomy and potential for a better work-life balance. From a practical point of view, it can also mean less timely and costly commuting for workers and lower running costs for the organisations. It is important though to point out that there are some disadvantages to it too. These include lack of workplace social interactions, blurred lines between work and personal life as well as potentially diminished career development opportunities.
Our idea
In order to shed more light on the potential consequences of remote work, we will explore whether home-based workers are perceived and judged in the same way as office-based workers when it comes to training and development opportunities, promotion decisions and competency evaluation. We will also investigate whether there exists a gender- and/or parenthood-effect, namely, whether men and women / fathers and mothers are perceived differently.
The investigation will be conducted on individuals with managerial and supervisory responsibilities from the business sector in Poland and the UK, allowing for a valuable cross-country comparison.
