Publication

With the rise of remote work, understanding how it impacts careers is crucial for shaping equitable work environments. This article addresses a significant gap by examining the relationship between work from home (WFH) and perceived career advancement prospects for over 28,000 employees from 27 EU Member States, with a particular focus on gender and family perspectives. Multilevel modelling is used to analyse cross-sectional data of the European Working Conditions Survey. The findings indicate that employees report better career prospects when working remotely, but these perceptions vary based on the employee’s gender and their family-related demands. Notably, the positive association between WFH and career prospects is not visible for single parents and partnered mothers. The level of gender equality and childcare policies in the country minimally explain the variance in reported career prospects for those who WFH. The frequency of WFH appears unimportant, as both those who WFH often and sometimes report better career prospects than on-site workers. These results shed light on how gender and family-related obligations moderate perceptions of one’s ability to advance at work and highlight the need for more nuanced policies and actions that consider these factors.