Discrimination in Remote Work
When "Access for All" Still Has a Gatekeeper
Hi Superstars,
"Are all hands equal... or is it just convenient to say they are?" — Elite Classroom, Season
Remote work was once sold to us as the great equalizer. A brave new job market where talent would finally speak louder than timezone, accent, skin tone, age, or the name on your degree.
A world where the playing field would finally be leveled.
No office politics. No glass ceilings tied to geography. Just skills, grit, and internet access. That was the dream, right?
But let’s pause for a moment and talk about the reality. For many remote job seekers, especially those in the Global South - in places like Lagos, Nairobi, Kingston, Mumbai, or Bogotá, the dream hits a wall.
A silent wall. Invisible. But very, very real.
You’ve got the experience. You’ve delivered results at scale.
You’ve done the courses, collected the certifications, and fine-tuned your resume to mirror job descriptions word-for-word.
You’ve even practiced your elevator pitch in a “neutral” accent, just in case.
And still, silence.
Or worse, a generic rejection that arrives faster than your application confirmation.
“We regret to inform you…”
So you tell yourself it’s the Applicant Tracking System (ATS). Maybe the algorithm didn’t like your format. Maybe it missed the keywords. But let’s be honest: that system was built by humans. Trained on human decisions. Still reviewed by human eyes.
And sometimes, those eyes already see a “no” before they read a single word.
It could be your name sounded unfamiliar, too ethnic, and too hard to pronounce. Maybe your past experience was too regional and not global enough and your location wasn’t in a US timezone even when the job said remote. So just like that, you are rejected not because you lacked the skill, not because you couldn’t do the job but because the gatekeepers didn’t know how to place you in their boxes. This is what exclusion wrapped in inclusion looks like.
Companies proudly post their DEI statements, host webinars, and release glossy reports.
Diversity. Equity. Inclusion. Belonging.
They say all the right things. But when it’s time to act? It’s “diverse faces, Western voices.” Because Imagine:
A woman in Ghana wears her natural hair with pride and is told to “look more polished.”
A brilliant UX designer in India is offered $7/hour, while their counterpart in Germany earns $70.
An older professional in the Caribbean ghosted because they graduated before 2010.
A developer on the autism spectrum never gets past the “team fit” round.
It’s not the talent that’s missing. It’s the opportunity. Or more accurately. the equity in how that opportunity is distributed.
So What Can We Do?
We don’t need more hollow statements or another “diversity day” with Canva slides.
We need disruption of the systems, the assumptions, and the silence. Because what’s at stake here isn’t just hiring. It’s access, agency, and equity in the future of work.
Remote work was never meant to mimic outdated office politics in digital form.
It was meant to break the mold. So let’s hold it to that standard.
What Companies & Hiring Managers Can Do:
1. Pay Fairly and Balance Value with Context:
Paying based on location isn’t inherently wrong, after all, the cost of living in Lagos isn’t the same as in London. However, using location as a justification to drastically underpay skilled professionals is exploitative. Remote workers from the Global South shouldn’t be seen as a bargain bin for global talent. Fair compensation should reflect a balance: respect the local context but also recognize the global value being created. If someone is delivering high-impact work, they deserve compensation that affirms their contribution not just their coordinates.
2. Use Structured, Transparent Interviews
Unstructured interviews open the door to unconscious bias. Hiring managers may favor someone who “feels familiar,” and familiarity often looks, sounds, or behaves like themselves. A structured interview system, with standardized questions and scoring rubrics, shifts focus from “who you are” to “what you can do.” It ensures every candidate is assessed on equal footing, eliminating gut-based gatekeeping.
3. Normalize Asynchronous Work
Requiring people to work within one-time zone defeats the purpose of remote work. Many roles don’t need real-time collaboration, they need outcomes. By designing workflows that support asynchronous communication (clear documentation, task-based deliverables, flexible deadlines), companies create room for diverse global teams to thrive without burnout or exclusion. It's not just a timezone issue, it’s a design choice.
4. Diversify Decision-Makers
If the people making hiring, promotion, and strategy decisions all come from similar backgrounds, bias will remain baked into the process even unintentionally. Representation at the top reshapes what success, leadership, and “culture fit” look like. When decisions are made from diverse perspectives, the organization becomes more resilient, creative, and fair.
5. Include, Then Empower
Hiring underrepresented talent is only step one. Without support, mentorship, clear paths to leadership, and psychological safety, inclusion becomes performative. True equity means creating an environment where people don’t just survive, they thrive. Promotion rates, a voice in decision-making, and access to growth opportunities should reflect the company’s DEI promises
Tips For Remote Job Seekers
1. Document Your Wins
Bias may try to reduce you to a location or name — but data doesn’t lie. Keep a living record of the projects you’ve led, the KPIs you’ve smashed, the feedback you’ve received. Your proof of value is your armor. When imposter syndrome knocks or someone tries to downplay your skills, you’ll have the receipts to stand tall.
2. Know Your Worth
Many remote workers especially from the Global South accept low pay out of fear they’ll be seen as “too demanding.” But underpricing yourself doesn’t guarantee opportunity, it guarantees undervaluation. Research industry standards, charge for your value, and negotiate. You are not overpriced, you are under-recognized.
3. Build Your Visibility
The internet doesn’t reward silence. Build a LinkedIn presence. Share case studies. Write about your wins and your process. People can’t hire you if they don’t know you exist. Visibility builds credibility and in a world that filters talent with algorithms, storytelling can be your greatest strategy.
4. Tell Your Story
Speaking up about your journey can feel vulnerable, especially if you’ve faced rejection or discrimination. But your story might be the mirror someone else needs to see themselves in tech, design, or leadership. And the more stories we share, the harder it becomes for bias to hide.
5. Find Your Tribe
No one should navigate bias or burnout alone. Join remote work communities, Slack groups, or forums. Engage in peer mentorship. Share leads. Support one another. Community creates momentum and reminds you that you’re not crazy, you’re courageous.
Conclusion
This conversation isn’t a call for sympathy on the global south, it’s a call for structural change. It’s not about making marginalized people feel “included” with token gestures. It’s about dismantling systems that were never designed with them in mind and rebuilding new ones that center fairness, dignity, and access.
Remote work gave us a glimpse into what a borderless world could look like, one where opportunity isn’t limited by borders or bias. This moment in history offers a choice: We can either digitize discrimination and call it “efficiency,” or we can finally live up to the promise of a truly inclusive, global workforce.
Because the future of work isn’t coming, it’s already here. The question is: who is it working for?
If we listen, if we act, if we hold ourselves and our systems accountable, then remote work can become what it was always meant to be:
A door that is wide open, not quietly locked.
A platform where talent rises, not a filter where it’s erased.
A global opportunity not a localized privilege wrapped in polished policy.
This isn’t about handouts. It’s about handing people the mic, the tools, and the power they’ve always deserved.
10 Fully Remote Companies that Hire Globally and Currently Hiring
Ps: I am currently working on a free ebook on 100 fully remote companies hiring across borders and regardless of location. Ensure to subscribe to not miss it.
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Resources to Help in Your Remote Career Journey
Join Our Public Community: We’ve created a public channel to empower you with voice-recorded mentorship, curated resources, remote job opportunities, and valuable insights. Link
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The Remote Salary Handbook: This is the first published guide on remote work. Having been a remote worker from Africa, I know the struggles of getting good pay, I have been paid less countless times. This ebook lays down tips as well as templates to ensure no one gets to be like me. It’s currently on sale and would go a long way in your career journey. Link
Rooting for you this Month🫶🏼💡!
Yours truly,
Mary-Esther Anele
Your Career Cheerleader and Founder, InclusivelyRemote
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