Gen Z corporate queen divides Australia with scathing take on Aussies who work from home

A company employee has sparked outrage for her controversial stance on flexible working arrangements.

Sydney worker Shez branded working from home a “failed social experiment” in the divisive video shared on TikTok on Monday.

More than a third of Aussies are still unemployed post-Covid, despite 82 percent of bosses admitting they would prefer staff back in the office full-time.

Shez even went so far as to label WFH as unproductive.

“You can’t tell me you’re more productive when you work from home,” she began.

“Be honest with yourself: are you really working or are you more productive by folding your laundry?”

Shez labeled WFH a “company culture killer” and “productive” water cooler office chats.

“There is absolutely nothing like going to someone’s desk and asking them a question that can be answered in two seconds,” she said.

“Your productivity definitely takes a hit when no one is looking.”

However, the young worker believed that the ‘worst part’ of the post-Covid wave of flexible working conditions was the ‘entitlement’ of employees.

“It used to be a privilege and on rare occasions,” she said.

She also warned that WFH employees are also at risk of missing out on a promotion because they miss the opportunity to “show your personality.”

“It’s not coming through a little Teams camera,” she claimed.

Shez’s views sparked fierce debate online, with many viewers divided over whether she underestimated people’s ability to work independently.

“You’re the youngest boomer I’ve ever seen,” someone commented.

Another added: ‘I think people who say these things are bad at their jobs. I create connections, get promotions and raises by working from home because I’m good at my job.’

A third wrote: ‘Exactly – people claim they are ‘more productive’ but be honest. There is no way. Just admit that you like it better.”

Shez’s claim about WFH’s productivity also sparked heated debate.

“The office is more distracting and full of interruptions, unless your goal is to network, working from home is more productive,” one person wrote

Another added: ‘Finally! Someone who says being productive during WFH doesn’t mean folding laundry or making dinner.”

A large number of Australian workplaces have submitted return-of-office mandates in recent months, including Amazon, Dell, Tabcorp and Flight Centre.

Analysis of data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics and the Economic Development Committee of Australia in December showed WFH conditions have remained consistent over the past two years.

But the latest data from the Australian Institute of Company Directors’ Director Sentiment Index Survey shows that 82 percent of Australian bosses want staff to return to the office full-time.

‘People confuse it with control, that’s not the point, it’s a superficial assumption. It’s about the level of productivity, collaborations and people need people,” says recruitment expert Roxanne Calder news.com.au.

‘When you are isolated and working from home, there is always the chance that you will look for something else.’

About 36 percent of Australian workers reported working from home regularly, only slightly down from 37 percent in 2023.

In 2016, WFH was only available to five percent of employees.

A large proportion of those who choose to benefit from flexible working conditions are managers and professionals: 60 percent, unchanged from 2023.

Meanwhile, only 21 percent of other professions are WFH.

Flexibility was the top reason people chose WFH at 25 percent, while almost 24 percent said they had a home-based job, while 20 percent used WFH to catch up on after-hours tasks.

CEDA highlighted a number of statistics showing that people who were “previously less likely to be employed continue to benefit from the shift to hybrid work,” including eight percent of women who work from home for childcare and family reasons.

New Household and Labor Dynamics in Australia survey data released last week shows that worker participation in jobs where people could work from home increased by nine per cent for women with young children and 4.4 per cent for women between 2019 and 2019. people with a disability or health condition. 2023,” it said.

However, the results may not be enough to change the minds of many bosses who want to see employees in offices permanently.

‘A KPMG survey of more than 1,300 CEOs in eleven countries shows that 83 percent now expect a full return to the office within the next three years, a notable increase from 64 percent in 2023. In Australia the result was similar, at 82 percent. percent,” CEDA said.

The committee urged bosses to consider the benefits of flexible working arrangements, including access to a larger workforce pool.

A recent study by Stanford University economics professor Nicholas Bloom found several other positives about WFH schemes, including improved staff retention.

The randomized study, published in Nature earlier this year surveyed more than 1,600 employees of a Chinese technology company.

Those who worked from home two days a week had high job satisfaction, falling by a third.

The largest positive difference was noted among non-managers, female employees and employees with long commute times.

Additionally, the study found no difference in performance ratings or promotion rates for hybrid employees over a two-year period.

About two-thirds of Australian business directors agreed that flexible working conditions improved staff retention, attraction and health, ACID found.

“Their views on the impact of working from home on productivity and innovation have improved slightly over the past year, but remain negative: only 39 percent believe that working from home is good for productivity, while only 28 percent believe that working from home is good for innovation,” said CEDA.