PHOTO: Ketut Subiyanto | pexels A year ago, as we began to adjust to pandemic life, I wondered if the forced shift away from the traditional 9-to-5 office life could prove a turning point in gender equality at work. The mass experiment in home working brought work-life balance into sharp focus, forcing even the most recalcitrant of employers to accept flexible working is not only possible but could be as or even more productive than office presenteeism. The reality turned out to be nowhere near so positive, with women disproportionately seeing negative impacts on their careers and pay packets. But as the COVID-19 cloud begins to lift and we contemplate post-pandemic life, I still see reasons for optimism.