Why this photo has reignited the WFH debate: ‘I would get in trouble’

Two women have unwittingly sparked a furious debate over the privileges of working from home after they were pictured sunbathing on their laptops at a popular beach.

The pair were spotted leisurely using their computers on a warm and sunny Friday afternoon at Balmoral Beach, in North Sydney.

It was posted on social media shortly afterwards and angered many as they may have been working from the beach.

Flexible working arrangements and remote work have surged in popularity during the coronavirus lockdowns, with many employees forced to work remotely.

While it is not certain whether they were working or performing other tasks such as university work, some said it was time for those who had WFH to “grow up and go back to work.”

“As an employer, I would be tracking your every move and location if I even considered letting people WFH,” one user wrote on TikTok.

“Most companies wouldn’t allow this due to sensitive information, depending on what your job is I guess,” a second commented.

“I WFH and would definitely get in trouble.”

Some came to the girls’ defense, claiming that they could have done a number of other things from the computers instead of working.

“Anyone who even says they work could be doing university work or owning their own business and not even have a boss,” one person wrote.

“People are so quick to assume.”

Others were more baffled by their choice to work from their laptops, which could be damaged by the sand.

“I’m surprised their laptops don’t overheat,” one person commented.

Another commented that they “can’t think of a worse place to use a laptop.”

Coaching company owner Lauren Yehezkel, who shared the video, said this was just the latest in a series of posts about the strange places people are WFH.

The pair are not the first to be spotted by Ms Yehezkel working from the beach, while she has seen others carrying out their daily tasks in pubs and parks.

‘I think it has also become the new normal. “I’ve never seen it so much until this year and I was quite surprised by it,” she said news.com.au.

A number of Aussies told those who wanted to ‘grow up’ WFH and return to the office, a sentiment held by a growing number of top executives around the world (file image)

Ms Yehezkel said she would have no problem with an employee of hers working from home, but added that the beach was a step too far.

The picture follows a number of major companies, such as Tabcorp and Flight Center, calling employees back to the office for the full five-day working week.

A growing number of executives are feeling pressure to bring employees back for in-person work as time passes after the pandemic, when WFH was essential.

The KPMG 2024 CEO Outlook survey shows that 83 percent of 1,300 global CEOs predict the era of working from home will end within the next three years.

The survey found bosses will take a firmer stance on WFH in 2024, after 64 percent of top executives predicted employees would return full-time the year before.

Good news for employees: Those who return to the office can expect a reward.

Of the CEOs surveyed, 87 percent said they are more likely to give raises, promotions and favorable assignments to employees who make the effort to work in the office.