By George Waggott, founder, and Roberto Fonseca-Velazquez, law student,
George Waggott Law
A recent Globe and Mail article reviewed the impact hybrid work has had on workers’ personal grooming habits. According to a Statistics Canada study, between July 2022 and July 2023 remote workers spent 24 minutes less on grooming and personal hygiene compared to their in-office counterparts. Similar findings from a Stanford-led study showed that American teleworkers, especially women, significantly reduced time spent on personal grooming when working remotely. This reduction in “beauty work” has apparently become a key factor in the growing preference for hybrid work, as workers reclaim valuable time previously devoted to making themselves “presentable” for the office.
Sociologist Andrew Penner argues that the pandemic forced a re-evaluation of how much time we spend preparing for public appearances, and many workers realized that the previous trade-off was not worth it. With fewer expectations around appearance during remote work, workers have enjoyed more freedom from traditional grooming norms, which were often rigid and time-consuming. The relaxation of beauty regimens during the pandemic, including reduced makeup use and less grooming, has persisted for some workers, who have not fully resumed their pre-pandemic routines.
Gender disparities in grooming time are evident, with women, particularly those aged 50 to 64, spending significantly more time preparing for the office than men. On remote workdays, this time dropped sharply, allowing these women to engage more fully in work or personal activities. The expectations around appearance for women remain higher, with the Statistics Canada survey revealing that women spend more time on grooming than men, even when working from home.
The shift toward remote and hybrid work has also provided an emotional reprieve for some workers, particularly those from marginalized groups. Cheryl Thompson, a professor at Toronto Metropolitan University, notes that many racialized workers, including black employees, find relief in working from home, where they avoid uncomfortable scrutiny about their appearance or attire. For these employees, Thompson says that remote work offers a break from microaggressions and intrusive comments about personal appearance that they might encounter in the office.
Ultimately, the time saved by working from home, particularly in grooming and commuting, allows workers to invest more time in work, family, leisure, and self-care. Studies show that this schedule flexibility reduces work-related stress and burnout, making hybrid work especially attractive to women, racialized workers, and those with long commutes. If hybrid work opportunities are reduced, these groups are among those most likely to leave their jobs, valuing the mental and emotional benefits of working remotely.
For more information about George Waggott Law, please see: www.georgewaggott.com, or contact: george@georgewaggott.com
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