‘Work-from-anywhere’ sentiments unpacked in new survey

A new survey has shed light on where and how Aussies want to work in 2023 and beyond.

According to The Aussie Corporate’s latest survey of 1,116 corporate workers, the “work-from-anywhere” preference is still alive and well, with employees staying adamant that this flexibility is a make or break in staying at a company versus leaving one. 

In fact, 89.9 per cent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that work-from-anywhere policies are important when choosing their next job.

The majority of respondents felt Australian companies are doing well in supporting people with the tools to work from anywhere; however, 40 per cent disagreed, showing there’s still work to be done.

While it was once thought that if you weren’t working in the office, you were working at home, the survey found more than 60 per cent of Aussie corporates “often” or “occasionally” work from a third location. This third location is most likely to be at cafes or homes of friends or family. 

Commenting on the findings, Scott McKeon, a co-founder at espresso Displays, said: “People are demanding flexibility both in terms of where and how they work, as well as with the careers and employers they choose. This means that tech tools become even more important when giving people the freedom and power to make those choices.

“Are we seeing the slow death of the office desk? Not yet, but it is no longer the single most important factor when you think about everywhere else people undertake their work.”

The survey revealed just how much tech influences employees’ ability to work effectively when away from the office.

According to the findings, laptops and slow internet connections are among the top three pain points when it comes to being more productive anywhere.

That being said, 77 per cent of respondents ranked having an additional monitor as the number one thing they would upgrade immediately to boost productivity. The majority of Aussies think that an additional monitor would increase their productivity by 60 per cent or more.

“People turned to technology during COVID, and that same technology is now empowering a new movement for people to seek out working options based on how they want to live and work,” Mr McKeon said.

Interestingly, when respondents were asked their top five “work-from-anywhere” destinations of choice, the following locations were selected:

1. Bali

2. Italy

3. Thailand

4. Japan

5. Regional Australia (with a high percentage opting to live and work from a van)