Women in tech are all but being invited to respond to a new House of Lords inquiry into hybrid working.
Asking a total of 16 questions, the inquiry wants to explore the “challenges of remote and hybrid working,” including “productivity” effects.
The inquiry is open until 10.00 on Friday April 25th, and women in tech can ask for their submission to be treated anonymously.
‘Lords’ hybrid work inquiry wants diverse range of contributions’
Potentially with female technologists in mind, the inquiry says it wants to hear about the “wider consequences” of such hybrid work.
The inquiry also says it is “keen” to receive evidence, comments and replies to the 16 questions from a “diverse range of individuals”.
‘Peers hope to hear from groups in society affected by remote working’
Expanding on the diversity point as the inquiry launched on March 5th, the House of Lords committee on home-based working said:
“Diversity comes in many forms and hearing a range of different perspectives means that committees are better informed and can more effectively scrutinise public policy and legislation.
“Committees can undertake their role most effectively when they hear from a wide range of individuals, sectors or groups in society affected by a particular policy or piece of legislation.”
‘Employers who don’t offer hybrid jobs are excluding people’
In wake of comments by Nationwide’s Debbie Crosby, female techies shared with Women in Tech.co.uk their experience of working from home.
Women in IT have said a decline in flexible working options — which in some sectors seems to be a growing trend — can hurt women who are parents.
Caitlin Power, a part-time student, took to social media just last week to say not offering jobs on a hybrid basis in 2025 is tantamount to exclusion.
“If [employers] won’t consider offering remote work or even hybrid to help me cut down on commuting costs, due to [them] having offices [that are] basically unreachable unless you drive….it’s [effectively] exclusion.”
‘Remote work saves time and money’
Power, of Ulster University, also said head hunters have eventually ejected her from the vetting process because the client insisted on in-person attendance.
“I’ve had…companies headhunt me and claim I have absolutely everything they’re looking for.
“But they ended up not hiring me because I can’t drive to them.
“Or [because] they wouldn’t consider altering the job position [to ‘hybrid’] even though it’d suit me as the candidate and the company.
“After all, remote work saves time and money for both sides.”
‘Hybrid being advertised as job benefit, as it cuts commuting costs’
Today, employers appear to be using ‘hybrid working’ when it suits them.
An online job advertisement cites “remote working” as one of the perks, saying the successful candidate could “save £2,500+ compared to commuting.”
“Spotted this listed as a ‘benefit’ on a job ad,” began HR specialist Paul Withers, whose “split location” on his LinkedIn profile implies he hires on a hybrid basis.
“The salary wasn’t much to shout about…and working from home does save money.
“No train fares, no fuel, no meal deals, [and even] no dry cleaning [bills]!”
‘Employers’ back-to-office mandates’
For its sixth question, the House of Lords inquiry into hybrid working asks why it is that some employers have implemented “back-to-office mandates”.
But even where employers are not making workplace attendance compulsory, staffing agent Jason Corr suggests ‘hybrid’ is not what it once was.
‘Only 16% of jobs now hybrid, including software development roles’
“I’ve taken dozens of calls from professionals…asking me to find them fully remote jobs or 2+ days hybrid.
“Out of 4,000-plus jobs advertised on a leading job board, 670 — just 16% — offer some type of hybrid work.
“And here’s the kicker — most of those remote or hybrid jobs… are in very specific fields; Software Development, Accountancy, Marketing, or Sales.
‘Hybrid working jobs cut down to one day a week’
“If you’re not in those four industries,” continued Corr, of Bella Recruitment, “your options are slim to none.
“At the same time, I’m hearing from tons of job seekers looking to move because their hybrid options are being cut down to one day. Or scrapped altogether.”
‘UK jobs market has changed, as weekly attendance now likely’
Corr’s highlighting of Software Development bodes well for some women in tech seeking temporary or full-time work on a flexible basis.
But compared to jobs not so long ago (notably in the aftermath of covid), there is now quite an adjustment to make — even for those who can successfully secure a hybrid role.
“Again, the [jobs] market has changed.
“We’re now more than likely required to enter an office at least once a week, if not more,” Ken Davis, a Linux specialist, reflected last month.
‘Strange to do Teams or Meet for a few days, then be banned for a few days’
“Even the fact that you can [work via Microsoft Teams or Google Meet] two days at home, but now can’t for the other three days, does seem a little strange.
“But it’s the way that the world is now going, and we have to start to accept it.”
A senior manager in technology, data and AI recruitment, Kieran Scully, posted nine opportunities to his online followers in March 2025.
‘Banks, health care and consultancy firms advertising hybrid workers’
It did not appear to be the aim of his post but Scully, of Morgan McKinley, said all nine vacancies were “hybrid.”
All but one of the tech job openings were for employers in London (the exception being Surrey, for a financial services firm).
The nine included a mid-level data analyst at a healthcare company, a power BI engineer at a “top investment bank,” and a security architect at a consultancy.
‘Covid changed how many women in tech work, but now…’
But Java contractor Jayne Hamilton spoke yesterday about flexible, home-based and hybrid working in the past tense, as if almost eulogising its advantages.
“The pandemic changed the way many of us women in tech work,” Hamilton began in a statement to Women in Tech.co.uk.
“Recruiters and customers were open to candidates in all sorts of locations.
“Yes, this was useful for us candidates but it was also useful for the customers, who gained access to a wider talent pool.
“It was a talent pool not bound by the constraints of location. This may have made it easier for customers to source the ‘best-matching’ candidate for a role.”
‘Tech employers trust employees and contractors in return for greater energy inputs’
Hamilton says organisations offering jobs with hybrid or remote days “get more energy” inputted into their technology projects.
“The time and energy that would ordinarily be spent on commuting is time and energy that can instead go into the project,” she says.
“Tech employers have to trust that their employees or contractors are conscientious workers.
“But I can tell you from experience of hybrid assignments that when we need to work late, which happens quite a lot in IT, it’s easier to grab a snack or dinner from your own kitchen.
“And then continue into the night if necessary. Some managers may fear remote workers are slacking, but [in my experience] that is far from the reality of remote working.”
‘Women in tech can easily see leaders in action on remote projects’
The freelance Java specialist answered a variant of committee inquiry question nine, by saying what the impact could be for employers who suddenly turn their backs on hybrid.
“If companies withdraw a remote work policy, they may remove their access to a wide talent pool and ultimately hurt themselves.
“Us women in tech can easily see leaders in action on remote projects as well. So the recent comments of Debbie Crosbie [Nationwide’s CEO], indicate to me that she has a limited view.”
‘Job candidates having to bend to new hybrid working rules’
However, what is really ‘limiting’ according to Mr Davis – a similarly experienced techie – is ‘open to work’ candidates being inflexible about their flexible working preferences.
“‘I only want Remote.’ I see this time and time again on LinkedIn,” he says, clearly a bit miffed at the irony.
“While I do not claim to have all the answers [about what’s happening to hybrid working] like so many other job candidates; I am having to bend to the new rules. We need to all work out how we can move forward in our careers when employers are increasingly asking us to move backwards.”
‘What happens to your evidence’
Written submissions to the House of Lords inquiry on home-based and hybrid working (in answer to its 16 questions) should be sent to a dedicated email address.
Guidance for participants, covering uploading comments, publication, assistance and “what happens to your evidence,” is available via this committee page.
Read the full call for evidence in the Lords hybrid work inquiry here.
Simon Moore
Managing Director at Moore News Ltd, Simon Moore is a journalist with NCTJ-approved journalism training, who has worked inside the newsrooms of local, consumer and national media titles.
He today writes news and features for trade publications specialising in freelancing, small business and the self-employed. Simon’s articles have been linked to by The Daily Telegraph and the biggest newspaper website in the world, MailOnline.
