Remote Work Has Helped More Women Engineers Work Full-Time, Swedish Union Says

In 2019, 11 percent of female engineers worked part-time, compared with 4 percent of men.

Since then, part-time work has declined, particularly among women. Last year, 7 percent of women worked part-time, according to a survey by the Swedish Association of Graduate Engineers.

It is difficult to pinpoint exactly what is behind the decline. The Swedish Association of Graduate Engineers says remote work has made it possible for women in particular to work full-time.

There is a big benefit to it, beyond the financial aspect. Being able to work full-time precisely because you have the opportunity to be more flexible in how you allocate your working hours, says Ulrika Lindstrand, president of the Swedish Association of Graduate Engineers.

More people are stopping working from home

The reasons for choosing to work part-time differ between the sexes, according to the survey. Women more often cite family reasons, such as being able to pick up the children. Men are more likely to say they want to scale back before retirement.

The Akavia union, which includes lawyers, economists and social scientists, has also seen a similar trend since 2019. Among women, the proportion working part-time has fallen from 9 percent in 2019 to 6 percent in 2025.

However, more employers have recently chosen to limit the possibility of working somewhere other than the office. Car manufacturer Volvo Cars has completely abolished working from home. Scania has also tightened its rules on remote work.

Employer concerns

The Swedish Association of Graduate Engineers understands that employers want their employees to be on site.

We hear that employers are a little worried about the power of innovation and creativity. Employers see a big benefit in many people meeting and having the opportunity to exchange ideas and thoughts in a way that is difficult to do when you are working remotely, says Ulrika Lindstrand.

The union emphasizes that requiring employees who can work remotely to be in the office more often risks leading to more women needing to take time off.