Abstract
The rapid and widespread of COVID-19 has caused severe multifaceted effects on society but differently in women and men, thereby preventing the achievement of gender equality (the 5th sustainable development goal of the United Nations). This study, using data of 355 teleworkers collected in Hanoi (Vietnam) during the first social distancing period, aims at exploring how (dis)similar factors associated with the perception and the preference for more home-based telework (HBT) for male teleworkers versus female peers are. The findings show that 56% of female teleworkers compared to 45% of male counterparts had a positive perception of HBT within the social distancing period and 63% of women desired to telework more in comparison with 39% of men post-COVID-19. Work-related factors were associated with the male perception while family-related factors influenced the female perception. There is a difference in the effects of the same variables (age and children in the household) on the perception and the preference for HBT for females. For women, HBT would be considered a solution post-COVID-19 to solve the burden existing pre-COVID-19 and increasing in COVID-19. Considering gender inequality is necessary for the government and authorities to lessen the adverse effects of COVID-19 on the lives of citizens, especially female ones, in developing countries.
Highlights
COVID-19, caused by a new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), was first reported in Wuhan (China) in December 2019 before unprecedentedly disseminating across the world, thereby becoming a pandemic [1]
The Chi-square statistic was utilized to test the associations of gender with the perception and the preference for home-based telework (HBT)
Physical distancing and lockdown are essential to suppress the spread of COVID-19
Summary
COVID-19, caused by a new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), was first reported in Wuhan (China) in December 2019 before unprecedentedly disseminating across the world, thereby becoming a pandemic [1]. A variety of forms of social distancing and lockdown have been applied, such as maintaining a distance between persons in public places (e.g., buses and supermarkets), closure of schools/universities, canceling public events, and restricting going out for unnecessary purposes [5,6]. Such measures have triggered a profound shift from physical to virtual forms for familiar activities [7]. A study from Australia [9] reported the average rate of working from home at 0.86 days per week prior to COVID-19 but at 2.4 days during the first wave of the pandemic. Most studies [4,10,11] focus mainly on descriptive
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
