Reid interviewed more than 100 people at an unidentified global consulting firm and reviewed an array of human resources documents and performance reviews. Around 31% of the men and 11% of the women studied were able to limit their hours without being subjected to the blowback the more vocal critics of the company’s demanding culture faced, according to the article.
“They made an effort to line up clients who were local, reducing the need for travel," the article reads. "When they skipped work to spend time with their children or spouse, they didn’t call attention to it. One team on which several members had small children agreed among themselves to cover for one another so that everyone could have more flexible hours.”
Woman who asked for lighter work schedules appeared to suffer in performances reviews, according to the study, while those who took time discreetly did not.