Gender gaps in autonomy persist among remote IT professionals, whereas work-family conflict varies by age: a cross-sectional survey

Purpose: This study examined whether gender and age are associated with job autonomy and directional work-family conflict among remote information technology professionals.Design/methodology/approach: A cross-sectional online survey was completed by 105 remote IT professionals. Gender differences were tested with independent-samples t-tests, and age-group differences were examined with one-way ANOVAs followed by Tukey post-hoc comparisons. Findings: Male participants reported higher overall autonomy than female participants, with significant differences for decision-making and work methods autonomy but not scheduling autonomy. Age was associated with all autonomy dimensions. Family-to-work conflict was highest among participants aged 25–34, whereas work-to-family conflict peaked among those aged 45–54.Research limitations/implications: The cross-sectional self-report design limits causal inference, and the oldest age group was small.Practical implications: Remote-work equity assessments should address substantive discretion, not only schedule flexibility, and support should be tailored across career stages.Originality/value: The study shows that demographic differences in autonomy and work-family conflict remain visible in remote IT work and extends job design and inter-role conflict research to this context. Keywords: remote work; job autonomy; work-family conflict; IT professionals; gender; age