NSW remote working insights 2

About the report

The second report in the NSW Remote Working Insights series presents some of the first data on where NSW remote working patterns may settle when the pandemic ends. It examines remote working patterns in early 2021, when community transmission of COVID-19 was minimal and health restrictions had eased.

The report includes insights from a follow-up survey of 1,500 NSW workers who can work remotely in their current job (‘remoteable workers’) collected from March to April 2021, as well as case-studies drawn from interviews with a diverse range of employers and consultation with peak bodies.

Key findings

The report estimates that when health restrictions eased in early 2021, 30 per cent of all work tasks in the NSW economy continued to be done remotely. Our modelling also shows remote working is protecting NSW jobs and economic output during lockdowns and could permanently boost NSW productivity when the pandemic ends.

Both workers and employers report benefits from remote working. Workers report that remote working reduces their commuting time, improves their sense of wellbeing, and allows them to work flexibly around their other commitments and activities. For employers, remote working opens access to wider labour pools, increases employee engagement, and reduces staff turnover. It also makes them more resilient to future shocks and stresses.

But we are not seeing the ‘death of the office’. In this period of lifted restrictions, hybrid working became the most popular choice for remoteable workers (and their employers). Most workers still value the office for collaborative work, team building, and social contact. Employers and workers view hybrid working as a win-win as it combines the benefits of remote work and on-site work.

Leading organisations are adopting innovative policies, processes, and initiatives to support remote and hybrid working, which include:

• tailoring flexible working arrangements
• experimenting with work arrangements
• reshaping office use and work practices
• finding new ways to measure work
• building hybrid culture.