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The double-edged sword of flexibility

The current debates regarding flexible working illustrate these constraints as well as some potential solutions.

Flexibility is not a panacea for achieving gender parity in the workplace; however, it has been extremely helpful to women juggling multiple demands on their time.

Flexible work tends to be lower-paying, more precarious, and less of a stepping stone to top-level jobs, whereas inflexibility is one of the primary reasons female employees consider reducing their hours or leaving their jobs.