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Origin Energy Australia is the latest organisation to hook its trailer to the back-to-office bandwagon that is hitching more companies by the day – displeasing workers across a number of industries.
Woolworths, Coles, and now Origin Energy are some of the big Aussie organisations that have – in some way – implemented a return-to-office (RTO) plan for their remote or hybrid working employees.
Origin Energy announced to staff that the company would be implementing a gradual RTO plan that intends to culminate in workers attending the office for 80 per cent of their working week by March 2026.
“Origin supports flexible work arrangements for our office-based employees, noting many of our team have always been required to work at operational sites like power stations to maintain reliable electricity and natural gas supply to Australian homes and businesses,” said an Origin spokeswoman.
“We have adopted a phased approach to our flexible work arrangements, and today, we have a modest expectation our people will attend the office for a minimum of 40 per cent of their working week.”
“This will increase to a minimum of 60 per cent from 1 July 2025, and 80 per cent from March 2026, when we will continue to support our employees to work from home one day per week, in addition to providing a range of other flexibility options.”
The decision comes at a time when RTO discourse is heavily contested, with Coalition Party leader Peter Dutton and his cabinet claiming that if they are in fact successful in the upcoming election, they will recall public servants back into the office.
During an interview on Radio 2SM Sydney, shadow minister for employment and workplace relations Michaelia Cash reaffirmed that a Dutton government would “expect” public servants to work five days in the office.
“We’ve made it very, very clear it is an expectation of a Dutton government that the Australian Public Service will move towards returning to work five days a week from the office,” Cash said.
“… The Albanese government has made it a right and an expectation that at all times you can work from home.”
According to Matt Loop, vice president and head of Asia at Rippling, with tensions on the topic of RTO mandates rising, employers risk lowering morale and increasing turnover if they approach the drastic change brazenly.
“Tensions within the workplace are escalating. Employee expectations for flexibility continue to heighten, while a growing number of employers are pushing for a return to office-based work. With political leaders around the world also beginning to echo these calls, this is an issue that is likely to define the workforce landscape in 2025,” Loop said.
“Our research found that 57 per cent of Australian businesses are less likely to hire candidates unwilling to work onsite five days a week. However, if organisations fail to balance their own expectations with their employees, they risk lowered morale, increased turnover, and challenges in attracting top talent.”
Loop indirectly commended Origin’s approach to its RTO policy, noting that phased implementations are a key way of avoiding potential pitfalls.
“A more strategic approach, with clear communication and phased implementations, will be key to avoiding these pitfalls,” Loop said.
“Organisations that set transparent expectations and create space for ongoing dialogue on flexible work arrangements will be better positioned to maintain employee satisfaction and adapt to the shifting dynamics of the workforce.”
Although the strategic approach may dismay some employee dissatisfaction, many still vehemently disagree with an RTO in any form. As previously reported by HR Leader, research by IWG indicated that 73 per cent of employees at large companies such as Amazon considered resigning due to mandated RTO.
On top of that, IWG found that two-thirds (67 per cent) of recruiters observed an increase in candidates looking to leave companies that implemented five-day central office attendance.
RELATED TERMS
In a hybrid work environment, individuals are allowed to work from a different location occasionally but are still required to come into the office at least once a week. With the phrase "hybrid workplace," which denotes an office that may accommodate interactions between in-person and remote workers, "hybrid work" can also refer to a physical location.
Professionals can use remote work as a working method to do business away from a regular office setting. It is predicated on the idea that work need not be carried out in a certain location to be successful.
Kace O'Neill
Kace O'Neill is a Graduate Journalist for HR Leader. Kace studied Media Communications and Maori studies at the University of Otago, he has a passion for sports and storytelling.
