A single sentence from entrepreneur Emma Grede has reignited one of the biggest workplace debates of the past few years. Speaking on Keke Palmer’s podcast Baby, This is Keke Palmer, Grede said, “What I think is that work from home culture is a career killer for women.” She followed it with another observation that quickly spread across social media.“Careers require proximity and visibility. You want a pay rise, you want the next promotion, you want the big corner office. Guess what? You need to be there.”The statement divided opinion almost instantly. Some professionals nodded in agreement, saying promotions favour employees who are physically present. Others argued that remote work has been a lifeline for millions of women balancing careers with caregiving responsibilities.The discussion goes beyond a viral quote. It raises an uncomfortable question: does working from home truly limit career growth, or is the real problem how organisations reward employees?
Who is Emma Grede?
Emma Grede is a British entrepreneur, investor and business executive who has built a reputation as one of the most influential women in fashion and consumer business.Born and raised in East London, Grede studied at the London College of Fashion before entering the fashion industry. She later co-founded Good American, the inclusive denim brand launched alongside Khloé Kardashian in 2016. The company became one of the most successful fashion launches in recent years by focusing on size inclusivity.Grede also serves as a founding partner and Chief Product Officer of Skims, the shapewear brand created with Kim Kardashian, and is the CEO of Safely, a home-care products company co-founded with Kris Jenner.Many people also recognise her from the television show Shark Tank, where she has appeared as a guest shark, investing in promising startups.Her business career has been built around growing companies from the ground up, managing large teams and making decisions about hiring, promotions and workplace culture. That background helps explain why her comments have attracted attention beyond the world of fashion.
Why does Emma Grede believe working from home can hurt women’s careers?
Grede’s argument is not that women are less productive at home. Instead, she believes the workplace still rewards visibility.According to her, employees who regularly work in the office naturally have more opportunities to interact with senior leaders, join spontaneous discussions, build relationships and become part of important conversations that are rarely scheduled on a video call.She argued that these everyday interactions often influence who gets recognised, trusted and eventually promoted.“We talk about all of this sort of upside of Zoom culture, but none of the rigidity of it,” she said during the podcast.Her comments reflect a long-standing idea in organisational psychology known as the “visibility advantage.” People who are seen more often by decision-makers may receive greater recognition, even when their actual performance is similar to colleagues working remotely.This is not necessarily intentional bias. Human beings naturally remember people they interact with frequently. Over time, those small moments of connection can influence career opportunities.
Why many women disagree with Emma Grede
For millions of women, especially mothers and caregivers, remote work has changed careers for the better.Flexible work has reduced commuting time, allowed parents to remain employed after childbirth and opened opportunities for women living outside major cities.Many professionals argue that before remote work became common, talented women often had to leave promising careers simply because rigid office schedules made balancing family responsibilities nearly impossible.That is why Grede’s comments have also received criticism.Some workplace experts believe asking employees to return to the office without changing outdated promotion systems places the burden on workers instead of organisations.If promotions depend on being physically seen rather than delivering meaningful results, employees working remotely, whether women or men, may find themselves overlooked.
The bigger question is not where people work, but how success is measured
Emma Grede’s remarks have started an important conversation rather than settled one.The modern workplace has changed dramatically since the pandemic. Many companies now operate with hybrid teams spread across different cities and even countries.In such environments, leadership faces a difficult challenge. Should career growth depend on who spends the most time in the office, or on who consistently delivers the best work?Experts increasingly argue that organisations need stronger systems for evaluating performance, creating mentorship opportunities and ensuring remote employees remain connected to decision-makers.Grede’s comments reflect the realities she has observed while leading businesses. Yet research also shows that flexible work has helped many women build careers they may otherwise have left behind.Perhaps the real lesson is that remote work is neither a guaranteed career booster nor a career killer. Its impact depends largely on how fairly organisations recognise talent.Disclaimer: This article is based on Emma Grede’s publicly reported comments during an interview on Keke Palmer’s podcast and publicly available workplace research.
