CREW Up: Is Hybrid Work Helping or Holding Women Back?

September 21, 2026

In this podcast hosted by CPE’s Laura Valean, CREW Network’s Alison Beddard unpacks the findings of the organization’s latest study.

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Alison Beddard & Laura Valean headshots — Beddard talks to Valean about CREW Network’s latest research paper on the impact of hybrid work on women’s professional advancement. *Image by monkeybusinessimages/iStockphoto.com*

Flexibility can make a demanding commercial real estate career more sustainable, but the industry still runs heavily on relationship capital: client meetings, informal conversations and the “meeting after the meeting.” If visibility continues to influence who gets the best assignments, promotions and leadership opportunities, could flexibility carry a hidden career cost for women?

In the latest episode of CREW Up, CPE’s Laura Valean and Alison Beddard, CEO of CREW Network, discuss how hybrid work can support women while also potentially stalling their advancement, drawing on CREW Network’s latest research.

Beddard also shares a personal story about having her own contribution questioned because she spent less time physically in the office, and explains why proximity bias can be difficult for leaders to recognize in themselves.

The conversation also tackles what younger women entering CRE should prioritize, why companies may need to audit who receives stretch assignments and client introductions, and how performance should be measured when office attendance is no longer the default proxy for commitment. Additionally, Beddard weighs in on what AI could mean for workplace visibility as access to information expands but trust and human relationships become even more valuable.

Listen to this episode of CREW Up for a candid look at whether CRE can make flexibility and advancement reinforce each other rather than compete.

Here’s a snippet of the conversation: