A new survey shows how career priorities between the two demographics don’t always align.
By Gillian Manning
Men don’t come from Mars, nor women Venus—but their career goals may still be worlds apart. A new FlexJobs report surveying more than 1,700 U.S. workers found that women consistently place a higher value on remote work, flexible schedules, and work-life balance than their male peers.
For example, while 78% of women say remote work options influence whether they apply for a job, 70% of men say the same. And more women rank remote work as their top priority when considering a new job (37%) compared to men (31%).
The gap is even wider when it comes to overall schedule flexibility: 64% of women factor flexible hours into job applications, while only 49% of men do the same.
“The findings suggest that while women are more likely to view flexibility as part of a job’s overall value, men continue to place compensation at the center of career decisions,” FlexJobs writes in its findings. “Employers looking to attract diverse talent may need to think beyond salary alone when designing competitive job offers.”
Yet despite men placing greater emphasis on pay, women are more likely to report feeling the squeeze of inflation, as 87% of women say rising costs have worsened their financial situation over the past year, compared to 80% of men.
Workplace engagement drivers also vary between the two groups. Here is how key engagement factors compare.
- Feeling valued or recognized: 73% women versus 60% men
- Learning and growth opportunities: 58% women versus 48% men
- Meaningful work: 57% women versus 52% men
- Interesting or challenging work: 71% women versus 73% men
FlexJobs says, “While both groups value meaningful work, women place greater emphasis on feeling recognized and having opportunities to grow professionally. The findings suggest that engagement isn’t driven by challenging work alone—it’s also shaped by factors such as workplace culture, development opportunities, and recognition.”
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