At home down under: hybrid working has become a way of life in Australia

The majority of Australian employees now work from home at least part of the week, with hybrid working becoming embedded in organisational culture, according to a new report from the University of Melbourne and Western Sydney University. The study, Navigating the Future of Working from Home in Australia, is based on survey data collected in late 2023 and charts how working patterns have changed in the years following the pandemic. It suggests that while fully remote work remains uncommon, most employees now work from home one to three days per week and expect that flexibility to continue.

The findings reflect similar trends in other developed economies, in which the post-pandemic return to the office has stabilised at a level well below pre-2020 norms. While there has been some reduction in home working since its peak, the report concludes that the shift to hybrid models is now well-established and is likely to persist.

The study finds that nearly 60 percent of Australian workers have access to hybrid working arrangements. Around half work from home one or two days each week, while a smaller proportion remain fully on-site. A minority work remotely four or more days per week.

Hybrid working is most common among professional, managerial, and administrative roles, and among employees in larger organisations. It is less widespread in frontline, retail, and service roles, or in smaller firms, reflecting the broader segmentation of access to flexible working by occupation and sector.

The report notes that hybrid work is particularly valued by employees with children. Among this group, the average number of days worked from home is higher than among those without caring responsibilities. However, the overall difference in access to or use of home working between men and women is relatively small.

Attitudes align around hybrid working

Employees across the board report a preference for continued flexibility, with few wanting to return to fully office-based routines. Both employers and workers report that hybrid working has generally had a positive or neutral effect on productivity, and most organisations have now formalised arrangements around remote work.

Despite this, the report highlights several areas where challenges remain. These include disparities in access to hybrid work, particularly in lower-paid or less autonomous roles; concerns about communication and collaboration; and the need to ensure that remote workers are not disadvantaged in terms of visibility, career development, or wellbeing.

The study also notes that some organisations continue to emphasise in-office attendance despite employee preferences. However, mandatory return-to-office policies remain the exception rather than the rule in Australia, where employment law and social norms have largely supported more flexible approaches.

The report concludes that the widespread adoption of hybrid working represents a long-term shift rather than a temporary response to the pandemic. Most workers now expect some level of flexibility as standard, and organisations that fail to offer it may find themselves at a disadvantage in attracting and retaining staff.

It suggests that future policy and organisational practice should focus on supporting inclusive access to hybrid work, investing in technology and management practices that enable effective remote collaboration, and addressing the risks of inequality between on-site and off-site workers.

The research adds to a growing body of international evidence that hybrid working has become an embedded feature of knowledge-based work, and that the challenge now lies in making it work better for all.