89% of Progressive Staff Work Hybrid or Remote — and Women Are Staying

Women now hold more U.S. non-farm jobs than men, yet they fill just 29% of C-suite roles, according to McKinsey's 2025 Women in the Workplace Report. That mismatch is the backdrop for why Progressive Insurance, ranked No. 4 on the Fortune Best Workplaces for Women™ List, keeps investing in flexibility while other employers pull back.

Male workforce participation has declined for years to the point where the gender participation gap has disappeared, per Indeed Hiring Lab data. Combine that with the C-suite shortfall and you get what analysts at Great Place To Work call a brewing leadership crisis: unless the career ladder works for women, the pool of experienced leaders shrinks every year.

What does Progressive actually do differently?

Most roles at the insurer don't require a commute. 89% of Progressive employees work from home or in a hybrid setup — a policy the company has maintained even as competitors retreat on flexibility, mentorship and community programs.

"We aim to create an environment where our people don't have to choose between a career and their home life," says Lori Niederst, Progressive's chief personal lines officer. "For women, that means investments in flexibility, career development, meaningful connections, and benefits that reflect the realities of life."

The caregiver math explains the bet. Women make up almost 60% of unpaid caregivers for elderly family members in the U.S. and carry a heavier parenting workload than men. Supporting women at work, in practice, means accounting for burdens outside it.

"The breadth of support matters because we recognize women not only as leaders, mentors, and individuals, but that they may be caregivers as well," Niederst says. "When our people feel supported as their whole self, they're able to thrive personally and professionally."

How does the company build a leadership pipeline?

Progressive claims a first in Fortune 500 history: it was the first company in the index led by women in both the CEO and board chair seats. "When people can see leaders who look like them, it helps them imagine what's possible," Niederst says.

Concrete programs back the rhetoric:

• Network for Empowered Women — an employee resource group sponsoring activities that help women chart their own career paths.
• Learning Circles — in-depth learning and networking sessions where participants build skills and insight into the business.
• Analyst and programmer bootcamps, plus mentorship and leadership development tracks.

"Growth rarely happens alone," Niederst says. "I believe the most valuable learning opportunities come from conversations with people whose backgrounds or experiences differ from your own."

Why listening is the operating system

Niederst cautions against treating women as a monolith. "Support doesn't look the same for everyone," she says. "People's needs change throughout their careers and lives, which is why listening and acting on what you hear needs to be the heartbeat of your culture."

The company runs "Progressive Listens," a companywide employee feedback campaign. The critical step is what happens next. "Trust grows when people know their voices are heard and they see their feedback results in meaningful change," Niederst says. "The insights we get shape the programs, benefits and experiences that matter most to our people."

Two examples show the loop in action. Progressive brought mammogram screenings on-site at many of its U.S. office campuses. It also partners with Visana Health, a virtual women's health clinic, to support employees going through menopause — a benefit few U.S. employers offer.

"Listening builds trust, but action is what makes people believe they matter," Niederst says.

What's the payoff?

Nine in 10 women at Progressive say they feel cared for at work, according to Great Place To Work's Trust Index™ Survey. Nine in 10 also say they want to stay with the company long-term — retention numbers most HR departments would take in a heartbeat.

Niederst, now in her 29th year at Progressive, frames the culture in personal terms: "In my 29 years with Progressive, I've been fortunate to work alongside people who challenged me, encouraged me, and helped me grow."

The guiding rule is deliberately simple. "We prioritize treating others the way they want to be treated," Niederst says — men and women both. Her summary: "That is Progressive's culture. It's intentional and built by people who genuinely care and are willing to invest in each other's success."

For practitioners, the takeaway is straightforward: with women now the majority of the non-farm workforce but under a third of the C-suite, companies that pair flexibility with visible follow-through on feedback are the ones positioning themselves for the leadership talent everyone else is losing.