Report reveals remote workers earn up to 16 per cent more

When this dad decided to quit his city job and relocate his family in hopes of a richer life it was a big gamble, but one that’s - literally - paid off.

When Richard Manning, 39, and his young family packed up and moved from Sydney to Port Macquarie in pursuit of a sea change it was a gamble that paid off.

“When Covid hit New South Wales, I took a role in Port Macquarie to give my young family more space and lower the cost of living,” he explains. “I’m now about to move into another fully remote role, this time with an office based in Sydney, while keeping my family in Port Macquarie.Sydney wages without the Sydney cost of living will certainly create more financial freedom for myself and my family’.”

Mr Manning’s experience aligns with findings from a report by leading independent recruiter Robert Half that found not only are 72 per cent of Australian business leaders more open to hiring remote workers but salaries for remote roles could pay up to 16 per cent more for the same role and experience level.

Richard Manning is one of many remote workers earning city wages while enjoying a more laid back, regional lifestyle.

The best states for remote workers

Although the Robert Half survey revealed willingness to hiring remote employees is national – Western Australian bosses are the keenest (75 per cent) while hiring managers in Queensland are least eager (69 per cent).

However, Victoria and New South Wales are the states offering the highest average salaries per equivalent role compared to their counterparts.

Victorians pay the highest salaries for finance and accounting professionals, up to 13 per cent higher than their Queensland counterparts for median experience levels. In technology, New South Wales can pay up to 16 per cent more for median experience levels compared to their West Australian peers.

Ingrid Bayer, who’s in her fifties and based in regional New South Wales, is now earning 30 per cent more having swapped a traditional, office based, legal secretary role to become a ‘virtual assistant’. But it’s not just the extra money she enjoys.

“Flexibility is the most important benefit for me,” explains Ms Bayer. “For people looking to balance their career with their family responsibilities, it creates the opportunity to lower a lot of daycare costs, cuts down on commuting time and creates more opportunities to manage household duties throughout the day.”

Ingrid Bayer, who is based in regional New South Wales, is now earning 30 per cent more having swapped a traditional, office based, legal secretary role to become a ‘virtual assistant’.

Remote workers enjoy a lower cost of living

Financial assistant Ana Bernal Escobar, 27, also loves the increased independence of working remotely.

“I still work similar hours compared to my previous role, and feel as busy as ever, but the biggest change is the extra flexibility,” she says.

“We operate with very clear deadlines and expectations around the work that needs to be done, but there’s far more flexibility when it comes to how I manage my own workload. The team looks at performance and work achieved, not the hours that it’s done in.”

Ms Bernal Escobar, who relocated to St George in regional New South Wales from North Sydney where she was working at an accounting firm, was originally looking to find another 9 to 5 office-based job but has relished the change, and how much money it saves her.

“I wasn’t looking for a remote role, but it was a position that really excited me, and now I love the fully remote lifestyle,” she explains.

“Since beginning the role, I’ve noticed my cost of living has reduced – particularly the cost of commuting, food, and office clothing and makeup. I also enjoy having more hours in my day without the commute time.”

Financial assistant Ana Bernal Escobar, 27, loves the increased independence working fully remote affords her.

According to David Jones, senior managing director at Robert Half, the lower cost of living associated with remote work and the lure of relocating could be a bigger draw card than higher salaries for people thinking of making the switch.

“While many professionals are no longer limited by jobs in their local area, there’s the potential for some to save on living costs by moving away from the big cities,” he says.

“Employees applying for remote roles should therefore balance the cost of their living location with the salary on offer in order to extract the maximum financial gains from their arrangement.

“For instance, an employee based in a city with a lower cost of living while working remotely for an organisation who pay a higher salary based on their location may be able to increase their discretionary income,” he adds.

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