BIPOC employees are fighting for their companies to keep remote work an option.

BIPOC employees are fighting for their companies to keep remote work an option. YPulse’s What’s Next For Work trend research found that over half of 13-39-year-old BIPOC young consumers would enjoy working at a job more if it incorporated remote work. But as companies force employees to come back into the office, not all workers are on board. According to Owl Labs and Global Workplace Analytics’ “State of Remote Work” report, half of workers in the U.S. would be willing to take a 5% pay cut to be able to work remotely—and the sentiment is “stronger” among BIPOC employees, who face more microaggressions and discrimination at work. According to one expert, being a BIPOC worker in a White-dominated office can be “isolating and stressful,” but having the freedom to work from home reduces the stress and gives them more control over their work environment while “minimizing exposure to office politics.” Remote work also helps BIPOC employees save money, cut down on commuting time (research shows that the average commute for Black employees is 12% longer than White employees), and makes moving less challenging since many live in intergenerational households. The option especially helps BIPOC moms who have faced lower wages and haven’t had child care assistance during the pandemic. (Prism, Morning Brew)