OFFICE FOR MOMS : RETHINKING SOCIETY

Nobody wants to go back to the office quite like white dudes. This doesn't mean all white dudes are pushing this return - or that everyone in this camp is white or a dude.

But just over 30% of white men want to go back full time, compared with around 22% of women [ Black and White ] and 16% of Black men.

FOR working moms especially, remote work has brought a new level of flexibility and self -determination.

And studies show flexible work can increase our sense of belonging particularly for Black workers. But for two years, the office advocates have put us through the same ''When can we get back?'' conversation, ignoring the more important one :

Is there an office that working moms would be excited to go to? If so, aren't men fighting for it?

In a word : comfort.

The office was designed for men who made the money while their wives took care of their home and family.

Not only was the temperature set low to optimize for the warmth of their suits, the standard of ''professionalism'' was based on white-male sociality.

It's no wonder I felt relieved to work remotely early in the pandemic.

Still, with two kids at home, I soon began to understand the urge to go back - but not to the office as we know it.

We need a new kind of workplace built with moms in mind, one that gives workers control over their time, lets them work from home as needed, offers childcare support, and addresses biases.

Reimagining the workplace isn't about the end of comfort. If all goes well, for many, it will be the beginning.

The World Students Society thanks Reshma Saujani, author of Pay Up : The Future of Women and Work [and why it's Different Than You Think].