Fifty-five per cent of Australians are prepared to drop their salary by up to 20 per cent in order to work from home, with a further 22 per cent prepared to take a hit of up to 10 per cent for this same privilege, according to a recent poll by recruiting experts Hays.
In the poll of 8,654 people, just 23 per cent said they are happy to commute if it means more money.
“Australia’s hard work culture sees us regularly featured in the list of countries with the longest working weeks in the world,” says Nick Deligiannis, Managing Director of Hays in Australia & New Zealand.
“Given this it isn’t surprising that Aussies want to work flexibly in order to improve their work-life balance, even if it means taking a pay cut. Some want to reduce stress and improve their mental and physical wellbeing by eliminating an exhausting commute. For others working from home, even one or two days a week, can be the make or break of being able to stay in their job,” he said.
But for some people working from home is not all they thought it would be. As Nick explains, “Some home workers feel isolated from their team and colleagues, and it takes self-discipline in order to get through a to-do list rather than take the dog for a walk. So if you are easily distracted, need social interaction or cannot ignore domestic tasks, working from home might not be for you.
“Of course there are also jobs that do not suit working from home as they require face-to-face client interaction or your presence at a particular work site, such as tradespeople, medical professionals and teachers. However roles that are essentially completed in front of a computer can certainly be performed from home.”
According to Nick, offering work from home options to staff in such roles also has benefits for employers. “From an employer’s perspective staff who work from home are more productive, satisfied and motivated to do their best. They also offer a cost saving because they don’t take up a desk in the office.”
A Stanford University study of 16,000 people found that home workers are more productive because they take fewer breaks and sick days, and achieve more thanks to a quieter and more convenient working environment .
The poll was conducted on www.hays.com.au between December 2015 and early February 2016. 8,654 people completed the poll.
Hays, the world’s leading recruiting experts in qualified, professional and skilled people.
For further information please contact Lucy Sharp, Regional Head of Marketing at Hays, on +61 2 8226 9885 or [email protected]