As hybrid and remote working have become more common in Further Education, new research is raising red flags. Despite performing just as well as their in-office peers, remote workers are significantly less likely to be promoted or receive pay rises.
A recent UK-based study from the University of Warsaw, which reviewed almost 1,000 managers, found that remote and hybrid staff were consistently overlooked for progression opportunities, even when performance was known to be equal.
Why this matters for Further Education
Colleges and training providers across the UK are under pressure to do more with less. Recruiting and retaining high-quality staff, particularly in support roles like HR, MIS, marketing, finance, and IT is tough. Remote and hybrid models have opened doors to a wider talent pool and improved flexibility for staff.
But if career progression lags behind for those working flexibly, FE risks losing talent to sectors that are adapting faster.
What the research found
Managers were shown fictional employee profiles. Some office-based, some hybrid, some remote. Even when all were described as equally good performers:
- Remote staff were 10% less likely to be promoted and 6.5% less likely to receive a pay rise.
- Hybrid workers faced slightly smaller, but still noticeable, penalties.
- The bias disappeared for hybrid working mothers, hinting at complex assumptions around gender and caregiving.
The researchers concluded that physical presence is still wrongly used as a shortcut for assessing commitment and availability.
How does this show up in FE?
While front-line teaching is often in-person, many non-teaching roles can (and do) operate remotely or flexibly. But:
- Are these staff being given equal access to development?
- Are promotion pathways and salary reviews fair and transparent?
- Do line managers hold unconscious assumptions about those who are “less visible”?
Five things FE leaders can do now:
- Audit performance review and promotion data, look for patterns between location and career progression.
- Train line managers on unconscious bias and inclusive management practices.
- Standardise performance frameworks that focus on outcomes, not physical presence.
- Gather staff feedback on fairness, visibility, and communication across different working patterns.
- Champion flexible success stories, highlight hybrid workers who are thriving and progressing.
Remote work isn’t going anywhere. But unless FE leaders take proactive steps to challenge outdated assumptions, we risk building two tracks of opportunity — one for those in the building, and one for those outside it.
Flexible working should enable talent and not hinder it.