Aussies who want to work from home at least three days a week have celebrated a major victory as more bosses accept this as 'the norm'.
A new survey of Australia's top CEOs has found employers may have given up on pushing employees to return to the office five days a week.
According to The 2024 Australian CEO SurveyA growing number of companies are now embracing the hybrid model in their workplace.
The hybrid model allows employees to work from home one day and in the office the next, and is considered a more flexible approach.
Perth Mayor Basil Zempilas slammed the results on Thursday, arguing workers would only get the most out of their jobs if they were in the office.
'We want people to work from our city office. That is the lifeblood of every capital, every major city,” he told Channel Seven's Sunrise.
Australians pushing for more workdays from home have celebrated a major victory (stock image)
Perth Mayor Basil Zempilas (pictured) believes working from home won't last long
'While some may have given up for the time being, I'm not convinced this will last in the long term and for many reasons.
“The best place for most employees is in the office with their teammates, where the culture of the office can really flourish.”
Amanda Rose, from Western Sydney Women, said she was “pro hybrid” and expectations of office working should be considered on a case-by-case basis.
“It's important to have people working face-to-face, I agree,” she said.
'The hybrid workplace is a huge help, especially for working mothers who have to juggle dropping children off to childcare and school. It saves them hours of travel.
“I think it's great that they did this. It may change in the future, but let's encourage people to come in rather than punish them.”
In the survey, CEOs cited the role of personal collaboration, teamwork, career development and productivity in their plea for a permanent return to the office.
Many said younger workers would especially benefit from in-person work.
No fewer than seventy CEOs from all sectors of the workforce show that three days is the new five-day working week in the office.
Some offices had stricter requirements than others.
ANZ CEO Shayne Elliott requires employees to spend 50 percent of scheduled working time in the office, but said expectations varied depending on the role.
The hybrid approach allows employees to work from home one day and at the office the next
ANZ CEO Shayne Elliott is requiring employees to complete 50 percent of their work in the office
Energy giant AGL requires company employees to work in the office for three days.
Two of these days are 'anchor days', where all members of a team must be in the office, but the third day is of your own choice.
Commonwealth Bank CEO Matt Comyn said employees should spend at least 50 per cent of their working month in the office.
Westpac requires employees to spend two to three days a week in the office, while Telstra has opted for the hybrid approach.
Citi Australia has a minimum requirement of three days in the office.
According to data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), up to 37 percent of Australians regularly work from home.
Up to 60 percent of managers and other professionals are most likely to work from home, compared to 22 percent of other workers.