Is office attendance being reflected in your salary?

As workplace trends continue to move with the times, employees are trying to balance the benefits of flexible working and maintaining visibility in the career ladder.

According to new findings from Robert Half, 96 per cent of surveyed organisations now require staff to attend the office more frequently than they did two years ago – and that’s not all that has changed.

Not only are more than half of the surveyed companies reportedly adjusting salaries based on attendance, but other incentives are becoming increasingly popular to support the reversal of COVID-19-era flexibility.

Nearly 97 per cent of organisations are taking deliberate steps to support this shift and make in-office work more appealing than working from home. Of the benefits introduced by Australian businesses, the most often reported (and likely most favourable) were a higher allowance or bonus, and extra pay, sitting at 69 per cent and 68 per cent, respectively.

Coming in third are wellness programs or mental health support at 33 per cent, followed by flexible working hours, social events, increased leadership visibility or engagement, subsidised meals or snacks in the office, and onsite amenities.

Clearer career progression opportunities, commuter subsidies, and parking support were all referenced, all polling under 20 per cent.

However, Robert Half director Clinton Marks also reassured that pay increases specifically are “unlikely to reflect a formal or consistently applied policy.

He said: “In practice, it is more likely to show up in subtle ways, where visibility, access to leadership, and perceived contribution shape how people are rewarded and progressed.”

These subtle ways are also more likely to be informal, and therefore difficult to measure, but they clearly suggest the career advantage of showing up consistently to the office.

Key here is the lack of formality or consistency.

In the same vein, and irrespective of the meagre 19 per cent that actually introduced clearer career progression opportunities for in-office staff, 77 per cent of surveyed leaders overall claimed that proximity to leadership increases both compensation and career development opportunities.

Marks warned employees to take these results with a grain of salt, stating: “What the findings point to is an emerging perception that time spent in the office can influence how contribution is judged, rather than a clear or formal rule being applied across organisations.

“In many cases, the effect is likely to be indirect, where those who are more visible have greater access to decision-makers and opportunities, which can then translate into progression over time.”

These immaterial effects, therefore, are harder to quantify, and also subjective, with another 19 per cent of employers saying they see no noticeable impact on career progression from regular office attendance.

However, it begs the question, are incentives worth it when organisations measure performance by proximity?

As Marks concluded, “visibility is quietly becoming a form of currency in today’s workplace.”

“When proximity to leadership can accelerate career progression, it also creates a challenge for organisations to ensure that recognition and opportunity are not unintentionally skewed toward those who are simply more present. The focus needs to shift toward designing systems where contribution is measured consistently, regardless of where the work is done,” he said.