Hybrid and remote work became common after COVID, with return-to-office rates stabilizing by around June 2023. In Australia, 36% of people worked from home regularly in August 2024 (37% in 2023), versus 5% pre-pandemic. Around 30% of employees in Europe and North America now use hybrid schedules and 8% are fully remote. Employers and unions continue to contest in-office requirements while some governments consider legal remote-work rights. Evidence links hybrid work to lower quit rates, better work-life balance and reduced attrition; fully remote work can reduce individual productivity, while hybrid often shows no productivity loss.
In Australia, 36% of Australians were working from home regularly in August 2024 and 37% in 2023. This is a dramatic shift from pre-pandemic levels when only 5% of Australians worked from home regularly. In Europe and North America, around 30% of employees now work hybrid schedules, with 8% fully remote. Yet tensions persist. Many employers are pushing harder to get workers back in person, while unions are pushing back.
A 2024 randomized controlled trial found hybrid work arrangements led to 33% lower quit rates. There were particular benefits for women, non-managers and employees with long commutes. Research tracking individual productivity found fully remote work was associated with a 10% drop in productivity. However, hybrid working appeared to "have no impact on productivity". Employees generally prefer hybrid models, with many willing to accept pay cuts for remote work options.
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