Almost all Australian businesses have mandatory return-to-office policies

Nearly nine in 10 Australian businesses have implemented mandatory return-to-office policies, with a majority of them requiring staff at least four days a week.

A survey among 300 hiring managers by specialised recruiter Robert Half found that 87% are mandating staff to come to the workplace.

The number of days required, however, vary among employers:

• Five days a week (19%)
• Four days a week (28%)
• Three days a week (26%)
• Two days a week (12%)
• One day a week (2%)

The findings indicate that employers have begun putting their foot down after 59% of them early this year said they will increase the required number of days to be in the office.

"Australian employer sentiments relating to working from home has shifted in the last six months. Businesses have put their foot down and allocated in-office days for their staff," said Nicole Gorton, director at Robert Half, in a media release.

Reasons for returning

Having face-to-face meetings has been the most-cited reason (40%) why employers are mandating in-office days, according to the report.

Other reasons include:

• Productivity is improved when employees are in the office (37%)
• Hard to maintain corporate culture (34%)
• The need to make use of office space (31%)
• Difficulty in managing teams virtually (30%)
• Career progression for junior employees is limited by work from home (25%)

Employers across the world have been pushing office returns for similar reasons. Business SA previously warned that WFH could devastate business districts and disincentive small businesses benefitting from in-office staff.

Retention issues with return to office

But resistance to return-to-office policies from employees have also been felt across many organisations implementing the mandate, according to the survey.

It found that 31% of organisations have lost at least one employee due to in-office requirements, with another 40% expecting staff to leave.

Employers need to take "careful consideration" when implementing changes that can impact an employee's work-life balance, Gorton urged.

"Mandating makes people feel like they have been stripped of this choice. To manage this in a way that makes employees still feel looked after, employers could adapt a flexible approach and let staff pick which three or four days will fit their schedule the best to come into the office," she said.

According to Gorton, employers should "not pull back on remote work policies altogether."

"When employers pay attention to both the employee and the business' needs, embrace the options, and conduct extensive planning, they can get the mix right and reap the rewards of an engaged and productive team. Otherwise, employers risk losing good staff."