A gender breakdown of unexpected benefits generated by work from home in STEM fields - A qualitative analysis of the WiMPBME Task Group survey

Result code in IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F68407700%3A21460%2F25%3A00379567" target="_blank" >RIV/68407700:21460/25:00379567 - isvavai.cz</a>

Result on the web

<a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejmp.2025.104897" target="_blank" >https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejmp.2025.104897</a>

DOI - Digital Object Identifier

<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ejmp.2025.104897" target="_blank" >10.1016/j.ejmp.2025.104897</a>

Result language

angličtina

Original language name

A gender breakdown of unexpected benefits generated by work from home in STEM fields - A qualitative analysis of the WiMPBME Task Group survey

Original language description

Background Working from home during the Covid-19 pandemic was perceived differently by men and women working in STEM fields. The aim of this paper is to highlight the unexpected benefits generated by working from home during the pandemic. Methods Qualitative methodology was used to analyze data, collected via survey. The survey designed and conducted by WiMPBME targeted both males and females working in medical-related STEM fields (physics and engineering) and was answered by 921 individuals from 76 countries across all continents. This report analysed the responses to one open-ended question of the survey, namely: “What is the one positive that you have learnt/experienced as a result of working from home during this pandemic?”. Results 594 responded to the question of interest. Access to home office was reported by 72.2% of survey participants. Males were more likely than females to report no positives of working from home (62.9%). Females were more likely to cite quality time, physical and mental health as positive factors than males, and to mention children in their responses. The most commonly coded thematic unit for males was remote working, with many males reporting the feasibility of working from home. Increased work productivity, better time management and work organisation were other common themes highlighted by responders irrespective of gender. Conclusion The findings of the survey show the diversity of perceptions about remote working in STEM fields, while highlighting the importance of considering family dynamics, individual circumstances as well as gender when evaluating varied experiences of STEM professionals.

Czech name

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Czech description

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Type

J_imp - Article in a specialist periodical, which is included in the Web of Science database

CEP classification

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OECD FORD branch

30301 - Social biomedical sciences (includes family planning, sexual health, psycho-oncology, political and social effects of biomedical research)

Project

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Continuities

I - Institucionalni podpora na dlouhodoby koncepcni rozvoj vyzkumne organizace

Publication year

2025

Confidentiality

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů

Name of the periodical

PHYSICA MEDICA-EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF MEDICAL PHYSICS

ISSN

1120-1797

e-ISSN

1724-191X

Volume of the periodical

130

Issue of the periodical within the volume

1

Country of publishing house

GB - UNITED KINGDOM

Number of pages

5

Pages from-to

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UT code for WoS article

001412661900001

EID of the result in the Scopus database

2-s2.0-85214321749