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Shop NowRemote work has become more common than ever before since the pandemic. But according to a new study, there’s one group of workers that are taking advantage of this option far more than others — black employees. A new report from the LA Times said black employees are taking remote work options over physical job locations, even at a pay cut, to avoid “racism they faced on the job.”
LA Times claims making people go to work is racist as companies ask workers to go back to the officehttps://t.co/t116LNVtx8
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) August 9, 2023
While many industries are looking to move back into traditional office settings post-pandemic, doing so could hurt companies’ ability to “recruit a diverse workforce,” according to one career expert with LinkedIn.
So is remote work really a solution for racism in the workplace? “Working remotely during the pandemic showed him a whole different lifestyle: no commute, more time with his family, and a break from the onslaught of microaggressions and other racist behavior he’d had to endure,” reported The LA Times about LeRon Barton who worked as a network engineer in San Francisco hospital.
This has to be a damn joke @LATimes. Right???https://t.co/AJD7lT0d4k
— Dan Adams (@DanAdamsShow) August 10, 2023
Barton took a $5,000 pay cut in order to not return to an in-person work environment — and he’s not alone. Other black workers have also gone remote out of fear of experiencing racism or discrimination onsite. But does avoiding an office setting actually make these individuals feel safe?
According to a study cited by The LA Times, only 3 percent of white-collar workers who are black wanted to return to in-office work full-time compared with 21 percent of white workers who want similar fields — suggesting racism isn’t just an issue within workspaces but society overall.
A 35-year-old paralegal in the Midwest (who wished not to be identified) shared their experience saying “As a Black employee and someone who is neurodivergent, it’s just better for me…I get so much more work done here in my own space where I’m able to be who I am and think.”
LA Times Says That Mandating 'In-Person' Work Is RACIST, As Companies Push For Return To Offices – https://t.co/QXZWMgCr5U
— Davis (@ckdavis422) August 10, 2023
One explanation proposed by this study was that black workers do not need to worry about “code-switching” or adjusting their behavior depending on what environment they are in when working remotely — something that can lead them to feel like they don’t belong or fit into certain spaces which cause mental health issues such as anxiety or depression.
Andrew McCaskill, Career Expert with LinkedIn believes “companies have to recognize that if they really want to meet their commitments to diversity and inclusion, one of the best levers they can pull for that is remote work”.
It seems like being able to go home after feeling drained from having adjusted your behavior would certainly help alleviate some stressors but ultimately doesn’t address underlying societal issues such as racism and discrimination. As we move forward post-pandemic it will be interesting to see how companies handle these issues moving forward.
