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, the opportunity to work at home was a luxury enjoyed by only a few, with workplaces often requiring employees to have exceptional circumstances to be granted even a single day per week at home. The lockdowns and social distancing measures during the COVID-19 pandemic forced countries to adopt new ways of working, and Australia was no exception. Many workers were able to work from home during the pandemic, which helped to limit the spread of the virus, and also helped to alleviate the concern of workers who were worried about attending the office for fear of contracting COVID-19. Since the end of the lockdowns and social distancing in Australia, there has been a large push to get people to return to the office, with many businesses and government agencies enforcing a return-to-office policy. While quite a few workers were originally concerned about returning to the office due to health reasons, now many Australians prefer to work from home to be able to work more flexibly or to choose their own hours.
While many Australians who were able to work from home would prefer to continue to do so in some capacity, the current trend seems to indicate that the days of full-time work from home are over in Australia. Though some companies continue to offer certain forms of hybrid working conditions, many others, including large employers like state governments, have decided to return to the pre-COVID-19 days of full working weeks in the office.
Australia and working from home
As the COVID-19 pandemic reached Australian shores, government-mandated lockdowns and social distancing measures wreaked havoc on the job market. Many people were stood down from their jobs due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with those who worked in the aviation, hospitality, and retail industries affected most significantly. A large proportion of workers were able to continue to work at home, and following the end of the pandemic restrictions, many adopted a hybrid working policy. In 2023, Australians in the larger states had an average of around two to three working from home days in a week, while in 2024, most states saw around a quarter of working time during the week was from home.Who is working from home?
The pandemic forced a change in job situation for many in Australia, with some losing jobs, others receiving fewer working hours per week, and those that were able to do so changing to a work-from-home situation. Naturally, not every job can be done remotely, with the average work from home days for certain occupations like laborers or machine operators being much lower than office-based jobs. In 2024, the share of working time during the week that was worked from home was only around three percent for a machine operator, compared to 27 percent for a Professional.While many Australians who were able to work from home would prefer to continue to do so in some capacity, the current trend seems to indicate that the days of full-time work from home are over in Australia. Though some companies continue to offer certain forms of hybrid working conditions, many others, including large employers like state governments, have decided to return to the pre-COVID-19 days of full working weeks in the office.
