WFH believed to be a ‘fundamental right’ for Aussie workers

With Flight Centre and Dell joining in on the return-to-office (RTO) mandate trend, demanding a full return to the office, workers are becoming more apprehensive as the domino effect in this space continues to occur.

New research from Randstad has revealed that half (52 per cent) of Australian white-collar workers view working from home (WFH) as a flat-out fundamental right.

As mandated RTOs increase, 41 per cent of office workers would reluctantly comply, while 24 per cent would actively search for hybrid roles. The stauncher of flexibility enthusiasts would resign even without having another job lined up (6 per cent).

With these mandates increasing, a lot of question marks have been raised around the reasoning. According to the research, workers believe declining productivity (43 per cent) is the main factor behind this shift, although only 5 per cent have received formal or informal warnings about their performance while working from home.

An interesting statistic was that 21 per cent have received praise for their productivity since working from home. Apart from the productivity concerns, workers cite a lack of trust (38 per cent) and a default to outdated working norms (38 per cent) as reasons for the pushback to the office.

“It’s understandable office workers across Australia feel apprehensive about the current push towards traditional workplace norms of spending more time in the office,” said Angela Anasis, executive general manager of Randstad Australia.

“After four years of remote and hybrid work, office workers feel they have earned the right to work from home, and many have made life choices, such as buying a pet or relocating further away from the office, based on the assumption that this flexibility was here to stay. It’s no surprise, therefore, that they’re concerned about this right being stripped away without proper justification.”

For many Aussie workers (24 per cent), only a significant pay rise would entice them into a full-time office role. However, 79 per cent said a range of perks could perhaps incentivise such a decision.

“Given people are prepared to walk away from a job if they’re forced back into the office, employers should carefully consider how to incentivise attendance, focusing on the carrot rather than the stick,” Anasis said.

Anasis explained that WFH isn’t without its challenges, but having a good balance between the office and home can create a perfect situation for employees to thrive and be productive.

“Working from home comes with its own challenges, and employees are the first to admit this – whether it’s dealing with distractions (38 per cent) or finding it difficult to separate work from their personal life (30 per cent),” Anasis said.

“The key is offering flexibility for those who need it, while creating a workplace environment that’s inviting enough to draw employees back by choice, not obligation. Striking this balance will help retain top talent and ensure your business continues to thrive in today’s hybrid work landscape.”