Remote work is effective—why the RTO mandates? | Heejung Chung | TEDxLondonBusinessSchool

Overview

The speaker argues that “return-to-office” (RTO) mandates are driven less by evidence that remote work reduces productivity and more by a persistent “flexibility stigma”—along with outdated beliefs about what a “good worker” looks like. These beliefs are closely tied to traditional gender roles.

Key Points and Evidence

Stigma against remote/flexible work

• Many employers claim remote work leads to poor productivity and low commitment.
• The speaker counters that this perception reflects bias rather than science.

Negative workplace perceptions persist even after COVID

• Citing a 2018 Eurobarometer study, the speaker notes that about one in three workers in Europe believed flexible work was viewed negatively by colleagues and could harm career outcomes.
• The share varies by country—for example, it reaches ~50% in places like Greece and Luxembourg.

Experimental findings of bias (UK & Germany)

• In a vignette study, a hypothetical worker (“Charlotte Davis”) was judged more negatively when she worked from home.
• This held even after controlling for factors such as gender, age, and parental status.
• Bias was stronger for workers working 3–4 days from home than for those working 1–2 days.

Why the stigma happens

• Proximity/visibility bias: managers assume people they see more are working more.
• The “ideal worker” stereotype: the speaker critiques the legacy 1950s “male breadwinner” model—someone who can devote themselves to work with minimal caregiving or other responsibilities.
  • The model is portrayed as outdated for today’s knowledge economy.
  • It is described as exclusionary for mothers, caregivers, and people with health-related needs.
• Belief in long-hours productivity: the stereotype equates productivity with constant work, despite research that very long hours can increase fatigue, burnout, and errors.

What the science suggests remote work actually improves

The speaker summarizes research indicating remote work is associated with:

• Greater happiness, commitment, and motivation
• Better work-life integration
• Improved wellbeing
• Reduced sickness/absenteeism
• Additional studies/field experiments suggesting remote workers are as productive or more productive, supported by factors like less commuting disruption and improved ability to focus.

Remote work is stigmatized especially when linked to mothers

• A major analytical claim: the problem isn’t remote work itself—it’s when remote work is framed as a “mother’s policy.”
• In her study, bias against remote work was strongest when remote work was associated with mothers.
• She compares this pattern to historical penalties for part-time work, which was seen as “maternal employment.”

Implications for RTO policies (gendered outcomes)

• The speaker suggests RTO mandates may bring men back to the office more quickly, while mothers may be less able to comply due to childcare/housework burdens.
• This could lead mothers to:
  • leave the labor market, or
  • move into career-damaging part-time roles
• The long-term effect could be to worsen career inequality.

Not all countries show the same bias

Cross-national research suggests the stigma is weaker where remote/flexible work is:

• normalized,
• supported by worker rights,
• protected from discrimination,
• and framed as “smart working” rather than only as “work-life balance,” alongside more egalitarian gender norms.

Call to action

The speaker urges audiences to:

• “listen to science,”
• challenge managers/companies using rhetoric about productivity and commitment, and
• resist the flexibility stigma— arguing that workplaces should be designed around what works for workers, families, and organizations.

Presenters or Contributors

• Heejung Chung (speaker)
• Studies mentioned (contributors not individually named in the subtitles): Seo, Wang, Lott, Eurobarometer (2018)