Why Women Are More Hesitant To Relocate

Many people have a dream job – but that job isn’t always in the same place they live. Both men and women relocate for work, but overall, women do so in significantly lower numbers than men. According to one report, 60% of men have moved for a job, but only 31% of women have. So why are women more hesitant to relocate?

Women are far less inclined to migrate for jobs as remote work becomes increasingly common. The high cost of living in new places, ties to family, a competitive housing market, and many other factors have all played a significant role in the downward trend of women migrating.

The trend of moving for work is declining overall

Millennials are much less likely than their parents to move for work. There may be several reasons for this; in a tight housing market, selling a current home and buying a new one may be complicated. The ability to work remotely in more and more fields may reduce the need to move to a new place to keep up with your dream job. And workers are more interested than ever in working for a company whose values and commitments align with theirs. That may mean prioritizing the job with the small, local business over the big corporate dream.

Tech and engineering job seekers are most likely to want to move.

According to the Harvard Business Review, job seekers in the tech and engineering industries are those most likely to move for an exciting new position. Women are disproportionately working in lower-skilled fields, so moving may be less necessary.

Men are less likely to be “trailing spouses”

When one person in a relationship decides to move for their work, their family must choose whether to go with them. If they do, the spouse is referred to as a “trailing spouse,” meaning that they are following along and must also find a new job in the new city.

Men tend to work in fields that require them to be in a particular location – again, focusing on STEM fields and similar industries. Women, however, tend to work in jobs that can be found anywhere: school teachers, pharmacists, social workers, and nurses, for example.

Because of this, women who have the opportunity to move for work may feel they face social stigma if they do so. They may worry that their family won’t survive the move, since their spouse may be unable to, or unwilling to, leave their job if it is geographically tied to it.

Closer ties to family and friends

Women stereotypically have closer ties to their families and social circles than men do. Even with the advent of social media and group chats, some women may feel as though they’re leaving their friends behind when they move, especially if the rest of the friend group stays in the same metro area. Men may be willing to travel home for holidays and focus on working and building a new social circle in their new city.

So when do women move for work?

Women who work in traditionally male-dominated fields – software engineering, for example – may be more willing to move where the jobs are. Exploring the reasons for relocating, many women weigh the potential for career growth against the substantial upheaval of moving, often finding the scales tipped by personal and familial considerations. That said, they often choose to avoid places like Silicon Valley and instead find other areas – like Austin, Texas, or Richmond, Virginia – that have a reputation for being more supportive of women entrepreneurs.

Women may also move to be closer to friends and family. Since women are often caretakers for their children and aging parents, they may need to move closer to their parents to ensure their parents’ golden years are safe and happy. In some cases, women can move their parents closer to them, but that’s not always possible.

More than half of people who do the move-for-work move because they’ve been offered a promotion or a raise that goes along with the move. So when women do move, it makes sense that this is because they’ve got a great job opportunity that they won’t turn down.

Why does this matter?

Companies need to focus their recruitment efforts carefully. The numbers appear to show that the most gender-diverse talent pool will come from focusing on local labor forces. The more companies try to recruit from a broader metro area, the more likely they are to get primarily male candidates for jobs. Having a diverse team of executives, in terms of gender, ethnicity, and sexuality, has been shown to create a more agile and profitable company.

Businesses should therefore consider where to locate their headquarters to create the most diverse possible job pool. If they do find themselves in a place where their primary job applicants are white men, they might consider a strong recruitment effort for remote workers, specifically targeting women in the field. Women benefit from staying where they are to pursue their dream jobs, while companies benefit from a more diverse labor force and a better business culture.

Moving Locally vs. Out of State

For a variety of reasons, women could be more hesitant to move out of state. If the woman has a family, for instance, she would be unwilling to relocate them from their existing neighborhood and support structure. Some women may find it difficult to adjust to leaving behind their extended families, friends, and familiar surroundings when they move to a new state. If the woman is the primary caregiver or if there are few work options in her specialty in the new state, this may be especially difficult.

Corporate Transfers

There are many benefits and drawbacks when offering women in corporate offices the chance to transfer. On the plus side, such a step could support gender inclusion and diversity within the business. The company may provide more opportunities for women to advance in their careers and shatter the glass ceiling by offering them transfers. This can help the business improve its image and attract more female talent to work there. Furthermore, gender diversity in the workplace has been linked to increased innovation, better judgment, and improved financial results.

Offering corporate moves to women, though, could have drawbacks as well. One potential issue is that some women might not be interested in relocating, particularly if they have personal or family obligations that prevent them from doing so. Concerns about the management of the transfer process and its sincerity in being equitable and transparent may also exist.

In the end, women’s worries about moving may stem from their anxiety about losing their existing social and professional networks, as well as their dread of the unknown. When considering moving out of state, it’s crucial to recognize and address these worries and prioritize building a new support system and a sense of community.