To return to the office or not, that is the question.

 

Calls by a former state premier for staff working from home to take a pay cut have intensified debate over the merits of a fully flexible workplace.

 

Former Victorian premier Jeff Kennett told 3AW people working from home - particularly public servants - should be paid less than other workers, such as emergency service workers and nurses, who have no choice but to physically attend a workplace each day.

 

The former Liberal politician has said those working from home are saving money and hassle in having to travel to a workplace and therefore should receive less salary.

 

Meantime, public services workers are now entitled to some of the most generous WFH rights in the country.

 

Australian Public Service Commission employees will now have no limit on work- from-home days as part of a deal with the Community and Public Sector Union to improve workers’ access to flexible working arrangements.

 

The agreement covers 174,000 bureaucrats across 103 agencies. 

 

The pandemic fast-tracked a shift towards more flexible working arrangements, made possible by technology improvements, especially in video conferencing.

 

The new work arrangements, instigated by the Covid pandemic, have created a lot of angst among CBD business communities, which have been impacted by half empty office towers and a dramatic loss of foot traffic in retail precincts.

 

Businesses are two-and-a-half times more likely to offer WFH arrangements to new recruits than they were two years ago, according to Purpose Bureau, an analytics firm that tracks hiring activity

 

As the debate continues over the merits of returning to the office, one Sydney council has followed the lead of several large corporates by cracking down on flexible work arrangements.

 

Randwick Council has ordered all staff to return to the office from 11 September, citing better collaboration, on-the-job learning, and customer service.

 

Photo: UNSW