Huge irony as group of Aussies pushing for return to office revealed

The group of Aussies who are pushing hardest for workers to return to the office full time has finally been revealed – and it uncovers a major irony.

The working from home and return to office debate defined and divided workplaces across the globe in 2024, and it’s not slowing down anytime soon.

Now, a new survey has shed light on the groups behind the ongoing power struggle, revealing a rather ironic detail about how the debate has been playing out in Australia.

The results revealed a clear divide, not only between the generations, but between workers and those who have since left the workforce.

While the results showed flexible work is still of value for the majority, one in three Aussies still prefer being in the office full time.

Ahead of the launch of The Great Aussie debate - a new survey that will reveal what Australians really think about all the hot topics of 2025, from the lighthearted to the serious - news.com.au asked a sample of Aussies their thoughts on an array of issues, and found some surprising results when it came to the return-to-office push.

Have your say in The Great Aussie Debate. Take the survey here:

Of the 1870 surveyed, 35 per cent said they would prefer to work from the office five days a week, 31 per cent believe one to two days working from home is optimal, 22 per cent prefer working three to four days from home and 12 per cent believe WFH full-time is the best set-up.

But there is an intriguing detail in the statistics.

Of those who believe full-time office work is ideal, almost half (45 per cent) are retired.

When news.com.au hit the streets of Parramatta, we asked everyday working Aussies if they would accept jobs that offered no options to work from home.

People who were still working weren’t very receptive to the idea.

“Hell no. Times have changed,” one man said.

“Absolutely not,” a woman claimed.

“I don’t think so,” another said.

One young Aussie said that because the job market is “insane” right now, she would consider a job with no flexibility, but she certainly doesn’t think it makes “any sense” to force people back to offices.

Another said it was “2025 and we do things differently”, before arguing that any retiree who thinks workers should return to the office full-time needs to accept that they’ve “had their time”.

MORE: The good and the bad of working from home

More than half (56 per cent) of over-75s were in favour workers showing up to the office full-time, along with 42 per cent of Baby Boomers.

In contrast, only 29 per cent of Millennials and 23 per cent of Gen Zers hold his perspective.

Of the current full-time employees surveyed, 69 per cent believe that anywhere between one and five days working from home was acceptable, with Gen Z and Millennials making up the vast majority of those holding this opinion.

Australian HR platform Employment Hero’s head of people and culture Liam D’Ortenzio believes these contrasting views between older and younger generations can stem from differing lived experiences.

“Older generations began their careers in an era where in-office presence was synonymous with productivity, collaboration, and visibility,” he told news.com.au.

“On the other hand, younger generations have entered the workforce during or after the digital transformation, where remote work has proven not only feasible but often more efficient.”

Employment Hero transitioned to a remote working model in 2019. Mr D’Ortenzio said there were a number of employees who are Gen X and above who love this model and the flexibility that comes with it.

It turns out a significant number of retired Aussies are throwing their support behind the return to office push. Picture: iStock

MORE: How to negotiate working from home

He said the Covid-19 pandemic “accelerated the shift” in workplace expectations, across all generations.

“Employees across all demographics discovered that flexible work arrangements could significantly improve work-life balance, reduce commute times, and alleviate financial pressures,” Mr D’Ortenzio said.

“We’ve also found it to be more inclusive for people who can’t commit to a CBD office, such as for our many working parents and care givers like our CEO Ben Thompson, people with mobility limitations or people based in rural or regional areas.”

Research from the company has found 78 per cent of employees believe working remotely at least part time reduces their cost of living, and 50 per cent of hybrid and remote workers would consider resigning if full-time office attendance was mandated.

Working from home can also have a positive impact in the mental wellbeing of employees.

According to Employment Hero’s 2024 Wellness at Work report, 69 per cent of fully remote workers surveyed agreed they are happy with their overall mental health, while just 50 per cent of both hybrid and full-time office workers agreed.

The survey showed there is a divide in opinion between the generations when it comes to working from home. Picture: iStock

The report also found that 63 per cent of remote workers were more likely to indicate that their overall work-life balance has been above average, compared to just 46 per cent of hybrid workers and 35 per cent of on-site employees.

However, Mr D’Ortenzio noted that, in any discussion around remote work, it was important to consider the varying circumstances of different businesses.

For a that has a fully laptop-based workforce, he said transitioning into a remote working model was simple.

“Businesses who require at least some of their workforce on site, say manufacturers or hospitality businesses, have a different set of circumstances, employee requirements and equitable employee benefits to consider,” he said.

“We have many customers who fall in this bracket.”

The return to office debate is expected to ramp up throughout 2025. Picture: iStock

As we get further into 2025, Australian employees have been warned that the power struggle over WFH that we saw last year will likely continue to gain momentum.

Amazon, Dell, Tabcorp and Flight Centre were just some of the major companies in 2024 that announced new return to office mandates.

Global HR platform Rippling’s VP and head of Asia Matt Loop said we can expect the “tug of war between employers and employees” over working arrangements to intensify.

“With our research showing 57 per cent of Australian employers are less likely to hire candidates unwilling to work in an office five days a week, the push for office-based work is clear,” he previously told news.com.au.

“Yet, many employees accustomed to remote flexibility will likely push back.”

If we continue to see a rise in companies ordering staff back into the office five days a week, Mr Loop warned there will likely be mixed outcomes.

“While it could improve team collaboration and cohesion, rigid policies may alienate parts of the workforce, particularly those who prioritise remote working,” he said.

Employers thinking about going down the full-time in-office path have been urged to “carefully evaluate” whether such an action aligns with the company’s overall goals.

Originally published as Huge irony as group of Aussies pushing for return to office revealed