Working from home? Read what employers are doing to try and coax you back to the office.
By career coach and return to work advisor, Tina Monk.
A Gallup survey found that 64% of CEOs worldwide will be back in the office by 2026. A bold statement indeed! In Australia in 2022 around 56% of workers split their time between the office and remote work and that has risen to 73% in 2024.
How comfortable have you become with working from home in your trackies some or part of the time and doing the washing between work? If companies have their way, that will be a thing of the past.
Employers are now offering some perks to get you, the employee back into the office full-time so they can take advantage of those huge rental costs, among other things! These include:
Office design
Creating modern and functional workspaces, complete with co-working areas and hot-desking, ensures you’re as comfortable as possible while working in the office. Although not everybody loves hot desking.
Commuter Compensation
Dreading that slog into the office? In addition to providing free parking, if possible, or public transport, some companies are even going as far as covering the cost of all travel expenses to incentivise their employees to return to the office. Yes, a free ride!
Free Food
Offering free breakfasts or lunches has become increasingly popular among companies to get you back into the office. Some larger companies have even built market-style food halls or host food truck days to support the rising costs of groceries. There is such a thing as a free lunch!
Child Care and Pet Care
Worried about little Johnny or Rex the dog? To support families and pet owners, some employers are assisting with the costs of childcare or pet care, as well as offering on-site child/pet care options.
Casual Dress Code
You don’t have to fork out on expensive corporate gear as companies are now allowing employees to dress in less formal clothes, with some exceptions, even in more traditional industries.
Fitness Classes, Sports Facilities and On-Site Events
Taken up a new sport or fitness regime while working from home; you may be able to continue in the office. To promote happier and healthier employees, some companies are creating sports facilities and offering fitness classes, while others are even hosting free concerts and other on-site events.
The advantages of returning to work in the office
The trend of working in an office full-time is picking up speed among big companies. Boots, Lain O’Rourke, and Rockstar are making their employees come to the office five days a week, showing a big shift in how companies think about work.
Communication
Face-to-face interactions have been shown to foster creativity, enhance collaboration, and strengthen company culture in ways that can’t be done with remote working.
The office environment offers unique advantages for team dynamics and long-term business growth.
Informal conversations, brief catch-ups and spontaneous meetings help build a sense of teamwork and friendships, which is important for keeping employees happy and productive in the long run.
In-person interactions also facilitate mentorship and career development. Especially for junior staff who have not built up their networks and want to learn from their more experienced colleagues. Senior staff needs to nurture and support newer employees, as it helps build up the leadership pipeline and upskill junior staff quickly.
Physical proximity in an office environment may facilitate spontaneous interactions that can spark creativity and innovation. In-person collaboration often allows for real-time idea exchange and problem-solving sessions, which some find more dynamic than their virtual alternatives.
Work-Life Balance
Working in an office can also help some people separate their work and personal lives better. Having a distinct workplace can make it easier to “switch off” from work when at home. This may not be true of those who are ‘tied’ to their devices and need to check messages and emails at all hours, which is not a healthy way to work.
The disadvantages of returning to work in the office
Commuting
During the pandemic, many people took advantage of being able to work from home and moved out of easy commuter areas. Commuting to and from the office can be time-consuming and stressful for employees, especially for those who hadn’t planned on returning to the office. Some people mistakenly thought that this situation was the new normal.
Flexibility
The term ‘Digital Nomad’ boomed during the last few years, offering many skilled professionals the chance to work anywhere at any time. Some employers thought that staff would take advantage of this, but the opposite was true as more staff worked even longer hours at home with increased productivity.
Returning to the office could mean less flexibility, having to stick to strict times and being tied down to a specific location. This could potentially mean that employers are missing out on the best talent by being less flexible. Along with that 73% of people would lose the perk of doing quick chores like laundry or dishes; many could not pick up their kids from school, go to a medical appointment when it suited them, and much more.
Also, people don’t have to get ‘dressed up’ to work from home and therefore save money on buying smarter clothes.
Most of my clients list ‘flexible work hours’ as a high priority when looking for a new career or job role.
Higher Costs
Returning to the office may mean higher costs for employees, such as transport, meals and work clothes.
In Australia in the past two years, there has been a surge in hybrid work. In 2022 around 56% of workers split their time between the office and working remotely and that rose to 73% in 2024.
Need return to work advice?
If you are dreading returing to the office full-time and want to change careers or jobs, we’re here to help so that you can have the flexibility you desire.
Tina Monk
0413 000 010
help@sydneycareercoaching.com.au
Complimentary career coaching introduction
Take advantage of our complimentary career coaching session to determine whether coaching is for you. We provide career coaching advice throughout Australia remotely, over the telephone and in person at Neutral Bay on Sydney’s North Shore.