The Australian workforce forcefully undertook a massive experiment over the past 12 months and some of the outcomes… well, they may be permanent. ‘WFH’ or work-from-home for those who aren’t familiar with the new acronym, is here to stay for a lot of the Australian Workforce.

Australia Talks National Survey 2021, recently did a survey (March 2021) and asked full time employees how many hours they worked from home before, during and after the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. 

Before the pandemic:

• 50% of the respondents did absolutely no work from home: zero hours.
• 31% did anywhere from an hour a day to eight hours or more.
• FULL-TIME WORKFORCE (8 hours per day): 4% worked from home.

At the height of the pandemic:

The "zero hours" group decreased to 33%, as more people experimented with working from home. So 17% of people surveyed shifted from zero hours working from home to full time working from home.

Today:

• The data suggests the workforce is now closer to an even split.
• 43% of respondents work some hours at home.
• 37% working none (Previously it was 50%)
• 20% of responded that the question was not applicable.
• FULL-TIME WORKFORCE (8 hours per day): 12% now work from home.

The amount of people working from home full-time, eight hours or more per day, has tripled from 4% previously to 12% now. There has been a 13% shift from zero hours working from home to Hybrid working from home. That's a huge shift in a short amount of time if you consider that being consistent across our entire workforce. And that is what we’re calling ‘Hybrid Working’.  Working from home and ‘nipping’ into the office for a day or two each week.

This has been a big shift for both business and individuals with pros and cons on each side.

For individuals this has made work-life balance so much better, allowing flexibility and control, building up satisfaction which in most cases results in better productivity.  On the downside, even if you have a spare room and good technology and internet, it suggests that those that work from home are less likely to cooperate or to coordinate their activities as time goes on.  That’s a very broad view and as we know, every individual is unique!

Businesses that accommodate WFH have also made some big shifts such as the aesthetics and layout of the office.  With less workers turning up each day the requirement for desk space has decreased and the need for meeting or collaboration space has increased.

So, for a large proportion of our workforce, WFH looks like it may be here to stay!

And this is a nice segway on how we can help.  Obviously working from home means your business or you as an individual, need Mint Condition Internet.

If you want to get your internet in Mint Condition, please get in touch with our team.
Call 1300 58 6468
Chat to us on line – minttelecom.com.au
Or visit our Facebook page.