Masks are off, back to the office

The Covid-19 pandemic necessitated flexible work practices. They have been, and should continue to be, good for productivity, useful for drawing teams together across states, the continent and in some cases the world. Many have found working from home helpful for the work-life balance of staff and team leaders. Some evidence suggests absenteeism has dropped. But so have opportunities, activity and momentum in once vibrant central business districts

That said, it’s time for most of us to get back to the office, most of the time. Face-to-face interaction with clients, between staff and, especially, with newcomers to organisations and those starting their careers matters. “Kids straight out of college – young, scrappy and hungry with ambition. They’ve never seen an office. How can they know what they are missing?’’ Australian Business Review editor-at-large Ticky Fullerton wrote in her Work-from-Work anthem, “Get back in the office’’, on Saturday. “You learn from those above you. Their mistakes, their big successes, how to manage up and down.’’ “Don’t sit at home and rot, and throw away your shot,” she advises.

In September, a Productivity Commission research paper noted that technology and Covid had led many firms and workers to become more positive about the feasibility and benefits of remote work. In analysing remote working, the report said, firms considered productivity, management activities and costs, workplace culture, capital costs such as office space, and attracting and retaining staff. The demands of jobs and businesses vary: management must decide what works best.