Working from home has become a permanent feature of Australian workplaces, with new research showing remote workers are spending more time on household responsibilities, while reporting improvements in flexibility, productivity and work-life balance.
Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has shown Australians who work from home spend an average of three hours and 24 minutes each day on unpaid work such as housework, caring responsibilities and household management. In comparison, workers who travel to a workplace spend an average of two hours and 26 minutes on unpaid work.
The findings come as millions of Australians continue to work remotely either full-time or through hybrid arrangements following the shift towards flexible work during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Michelle Gawthorpe has been working from home since September 2023 and said flexibility was one of the biggest benefits of the arrangement.
“The work type and being able to have flexibility to be home for my family,” Ms Gawthorpe said.
“I’m happier working and less stressed.”
“Flexible start and finish times, work-life balance, being able to work around appointments, more productive, not micro-managed, and a more comfortable work environment.”
Research has also found that removing the daily commute allows workers to reclaim time that would otherwise be spent travelling to and from work.
The ABS found remote workers generally reported more flexibility throughout the day, allowing them to balance professional responsibilities with personal commitments.
Ms Gawthorpe said working from home has improved her productivity and allowed her to maintain a healthier balance between work and family life.
“I am more productive, I get more work done as there are less distractions,” she said.
“I have more time to spend with family, I’m less tired and stressed, and I’m more productive, and burnout is minimal.”
While many workers continue to embrace remote work, governments and employers remain divided on how flexible work should be managed in the future.
The Victorian Government has recently announced plans to introduce legislation that would give eligible employees a legal right to work from home two days per week from September 2026, if their role can reasonably be performed remotely.
Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan said the policy would support working families and encourage greater workforce participation.
“Work from home works for families, because it saves time and money and it gets more parents working,” Ms Allan said in a media release.
Victorian Minister for Industrial Relations Jaclyn Symes said flexible work arrangements could be beneficial for workers and employers alike.
“Work from home is good for families, good for productivity and good for the economy,” Ms Symes said.
The debate comes as employers continue to assess the long-term impacts of remote work on workplace culture, collaboration and employee wellbeing.
Kristi Bedford, who has worked in a hybrid arrangement since the COVID-19 pandemic, said flexibility had become one of the most valuable aspects of her working life.
“Flexibility with time and better work-life balance,” Ms Bedford said.
“It improves it because travel time isn’t a factor in the day anymore.
“You get that time back, and whether that’s for personal home life stuff, work, extra hours or just being more flexible.”
Ms Bedford said avoiding the daily commute had significantly reduced stress.
“I don’t have to worry about driving, don’t have to worry about parking. I don’t have the rush.”
Research into remote work has identified several benefits for employees, including increased autonomy and improved wellbeing. However, studies have also found workers can experience social isolation and reduced opportunities for informal workplace interaction.
Both workers acknowledged there were challenges associated with working away from colleagues.
“No one immediately available to run things by or talk through a problem. It can be lonely at times too,” Ms Gawthorpe said.
Ms Bedford said remote work could sometimes mean missing important workplace conversations.
“You do miss out on work and team conversations,” she said.
“When you’re in the office, and people are talking about something, you pick that up and hear it, or you can add in, whereas at home, obviously, you don’t have those conversations.”
Productivity remains one of the most debated aspects of working from home, with some employers expressing concerns about employee performance outside traditional office environments.
However, both workers said they had experienced little or no reduction in productivity.
“When I’m doing my reporting, it’s actually better because there’s no distraction,” Ms Bedford said.
“In the office, you’ve always got people talking around you, whether it’ll be on the phone, in meetings or just conversations going on.”
Mental health outcomes have also varied among remote workers, with some reporting feelings of isolation and others citing improved wellbeing due to greater flexibility.
“It has made my mental health better. Although it can be isolating at times, I have good support, and our team leaders encourage and promote self-care and taking longer and regular breaks,” Ms Gawthorpe said.
Ms Bedford said working from home had been particularly beneficial during difficult periods.
“It hasn’t affected my mental health, but it’s been useful at times where I haven’t been in a great headspace,” she said.
Both workers said they would prefer to maintain flexible arrangements rather than return to the office full-time.
“My circumstances require flexibility and short notice time off,” Ms Gawthorpe said.
Ms Bedford said a hybrid model offered the best balance.
“I prefer the flexibility to do both.”
“I don’t want to be full-time in the office. I just think it’s better mentally and for work-life balance not being there all the time.”
As workplaces continue to evolve, working from home appears set to remain a significant part of Australia’s employment landscape, with employees, employers and governments continuing to debate how flexibility should look in the future.
