The Fair Work Commission has recognised the productivity costs of working from home and supported bosses’ rights to get workers back to the office post pandemic under Labor’s newly expanded flexible work laws.

In the first test of laws that took effect in June, the workplace tribunal ruled salary packaging provider Maxxia had “reasonable business grounds” to reject a case adviser’s request to work exclusively from home. It found that face-to-face interactions in the office helped to improve productivity, training and general team culture.