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I wish I could collect that proverbial nickel every time someonetells me that law firms, corporations and the world will be moreegalitarian and inclusive because of COVID-19. I hear this from lawfirm partners, members of the C-suite and lowly, wistfulassociates. You've probably heard it too—that people are morereflective now, that they're empathetic and that there's a realhunger for change.

That sanguine view is reflected in a recent survey by nonprofit Catalyst, whichfinds that seven in 10 employees believe that COVID-19 willstimulate gender equity in the workplace. Moreover, eight in 10business leaders believe the pandemic will eventually result in amore inclusive workplace for people of color. (The report,conducted in early June, surveyed 1,100 U.S. business leaders andemployees.)

My, my, so much riding on the disruptive powers of COVID-19. Idon't doubt that it's altered the way we work and live, but willthis pandemic topple the white male patriarchy and usher forth anew era in which women and people of color share the powerstructure?

I'm not so hopeful. And, if you read between the lines, neitherare the respondents in that Catalyst survey. It turns out thatfewer than 41% of employees believe their workplaces are "fullycommitted to—and already taking steps to create—an inclusiveworkplace."

"We see a clear tensionbetween optimism for a more inclusive and equitable workplace andskepticism that companies and business leaders will actually takethe necessary steps to address disparities at the organizationallevel," says Catalyst president and CEO Lorraine Hariton.

Management see things through rose-colored glasses. The reportfinds "business leaders (56%) are more likely to believe that theircompany is taking steps to enhance gender equity during thispandemic, as compared with employees (34%)." And leaders are "morelikely to believe that working remotely has facilitated a moreinclusive environment (56% vs. 28%)."

Talk about management patting themselves on theback—prematurely!

That said, female managers, in particular, might be displayingsome wishful thinking. The report finds that 80% of female leaders(vs. 60% of their male counterparts) believe that for seniorleaders, gender equity is more important now than before the onsetof coronavirus. And for whatever reason, more female leaders trusttheir company to create a more inclusive workplace in the future(80% women vs. 75% men).

But beneath all that cheery talk, it's clear women generally whoare hitting some bumps at home and at work during the pandemic.

For instance, the report finds working women feel they stillbear most of the responsibilities at home: While one in three menclaim they're doing more at home, "only 13% of women say that theirmale partner has taken more of the household chores." Moreover,"women are twice as likely as men to be primarily responsible forhomeschooling their children"—which, based on my reporting, is amajor tension spot for female lawyers in theirrelationships.

And on the work front, those Zoom meetings are not helpingwomen. An astounding 45% of female leaders attest that "it'sdifficult for women to speak up in virtual meetings," anobservation agreed to by 42% of male leaders. And one in five womenreports feeling "ignored and overlooked by coworkers during videocalls," and another one in five employees report witnessing morediscrimination at work since the outbreak of the pandemic.

I must say I'm not at all surprised that men are againdominating those video calls. Though I had reported during theearly days of the pandemic that folks weremindful of giving each other equal air time, Zoom etiquetteseems to be withering away. Lately, I'm hearing that those alphamales are back, and women are again sidelined.

Not that women aren't trying to assert themselves. It's justthat they're not hoggers. "We tend to make our point and shut up,"says a senior lawyer at a bank about her Zoom meetings. "Whereasthe guys will go on and on. They love to hear themselves talk andtalk and talk."

Which means we're getting adjusted to working in this newnormal. And that means, sadly, a return to the old normal.

Vivia Chen is a senior columnist at TheAmerican Lawyer and the creator of The Careerist blog.