Anglim, Jeromy

The shift to remote work, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, has reshaped the Australian work landscape. Research in grey literature indicates 45% of Australian workers believe that shifting attitudes to remote working will transform how people work in the next 3-5 years, with only 10% favouring a ‘traditional’ work environment (PwC, 2021). More recently, trends show Australians welcome hybrid work, with 2 – 3 days at home as the preferred duration compared to fully remote work models (NSWIPC, 2020). These patterns suggest Australians continue to value remote work. However, in 2023, major businesses like the National Australia Bank and Commonwealth Bank have mandated employees to return to the office, citing concerns with productivity, connectedness and cyberslacking (AFR et al., 2022). Australian employees have reacted negatively, with some resigning altogether, while others have resorted to legal action to enforce hybrid work with their employers (AFR et al., 2023). Evidently, social commentary suggests mixed attitudes to remote work in the Australian workforce.

This study introduces the Attitudes to Work From Home (AWFH) measure, consisting of 20 items, to gauge perceptions of remote work among Australian working adults. A sample of 1,545 individuals, predominantly female with an average age of 47.3, participated in the study between September and October 2021. Results indicate strong internal consistency for the AWFH measure and support a four-factor model comprising flexibility benefits, social connection concerns, career development concerns, and home distractions. Overall, Australians exhibit a preference for remote work over traditional models, with positive attitudes linked to valuing flexibility benefits and negative attitudes associated with concerns about social isolation, career development, and home distractions. Gender differences reveal that females tend to have more positive attitudes toward remote work than males, while supervisors display a lower preference for remote work compared to non-supervisors. Additionally, older adults perceive fewer flexibility benefits and experience fewer home-based distractions when working remotely. However, the presence of dependent-age children does not significantly impact remote work preferences. This study validates the AWFH measure as a reliable tool for assessing attitudes toward remote work in Australian populations and sheds light on how various demographic factors influence perceptions of remote work.

Understand the structure and application of the Attitudes to Work From Home (AWFH) measure in evaluating perceptions of remote work among Australian professionals.
Identify key demographic factors, such as gender, supervisory status, and age, influencing attitudes toward remote work, and their impact on preferences and concerns.
Gain insights into the broader societal shift towards remote work in Australia post-COVID-19 and its implications for organisational policies and employee well-being now in the future.