Work from home and remote work in Australia - statistics & facts
The COVID-19 pandemic was a turning point for remote work around the globe. Prior to 2020, catching up on work was the main reason Australians reported working from home. It was a luxury enjoyed only by a few, with workplaces often requiring employees to have exceptional circumstances to be granted even a single day per week at home. When the coronavirus hit in 2020, working from home became the norm. While COVID-19 caused havoc to the global economy, digitalization allowed many businesses to pivot and continue operating remotely. Brick-and-mortar retailers began selling products online, healthcare services were delivered remotely via telephone or video conference, and office workers continued their computer-based desk jobs from the comfort of their living rooms. Years have passed since the pandemic began and workplaces are welcoming staff back to the office, but employees around the world would like to see remote work stay, at least in some form.
Flexible working is not restricted to allowing employees to work from home. Employers can offer a range of flexible practices to suit both organizational needs and meet modern employee expectations.
Working in the cloud
The shift to remote work exposed employers to a range of new IT equipment and security requirements. Cloud services and digital collaboration tools were essential for many organizations and were some of the most invested in technologies by organizations following the shift to remote work. Cloud services facilitate the access and flow of user data to a provider's system via the internet, and vice versa, without requiring internal infrastructure and allowing users to work remotely. There are three main types of cloud services: Software as a Service (SaaS), Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), and Platform as a Service (PaaS). Many remote workers will be familiar with SaaS cloud services such as Microsoft Office 345 or Citrix ShareFile. Overall spending on information technology services in Australia is forecast to reach over 109 billion Australian dollars in 2022.Balancing the needs of employers and employees
Remote working comes with a range of benefits and challenges. In Australia, people who had always worked from home or who began working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic were most likely to describe their general state of well-being as 'really struggling'. Conversely, they were among the most likely to describe their general well-being as ’consistently thriving’, demonstrating that there is no one-size-fits-all regarding working arrangements. In 2022, there was an overwhelming preference for a hybrid working model, allowing employees the flexibility to work between the office and home.Flexible working is not restricted to allowing employees to work from home. Employers can offer a range of flexible practices to suit both organizational needs and meet modern employee expectations.
