Worrying sign work from home is over for millions of Aussie workers - as Atlassian boss argues draconian mandates 'aren't the solution'

By STEVE WILLIAMS AND MICHAEL PICKERING FOR DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA

Published: | Updated:

The majority of Australian CEOs want staff to return to the office full-time by 2027 - signalling an end to the popular working arrangement for millions of workers. 

The KPMG 2024 CEO Outlook survey found 83 per cent of 1,300 global CEOs predict the work from home era will end within the next three years.

The survey revealed bosses are taking a firmer stance on WFH in 2024, after 64 per cent of chief executives predicted workers would return full-time the previous year. 

The older the CEO, the tougher their stance is on getting workers back with 87 per cent of bosses aged 60 to 69 calling for an end to the flexible arrangement. 

Women CEOs have a slightly softer approach; 78 per cent of female CEOs predict a complete return to the office within three years compared to 84 per cent of men. 

In good news for workers, those who return to the office can expect to be rewarded.

Of the CEOs surveyed, 87 per cent said they are more likely to give employees who make the effort to be in the office raises, promotions and favorable assignments.

The survey comes after tech giant Amazon and Aussie gaming outfit Tabcorp became the latest corporations to issue mandates forcing staff back into the office - as Australia's largest tech company slams the move. 

The vast majority of Australian CEOs predict workers will return to workplaces full-time by 2027 as an Atlassian boss argues office mandates 'aren't the solution'

The vast majority of Australian CEOs predict workers will return to workplaces full-time by 2027 as an Atlassian boss argues office mandates 'aren't the solution'

Head of Atlassian's distributed work model Team Anywhere, Annie Dean (pictured), said hardline office mandates 'aren't the solution' for Australian workers

Head of Atlassian's distributed work model Team Anywhere, Annie Dean (pictured), said hardline office mandates 'aren't the solution' for Australian workers

Amazon chief executive Andy Jassy sent an email to workers insisting corporate staff will need to be back be in the office permanently from January 2025.

In his message to staff, Mr Jassy said Amazon leadership had 'decided that we're going to return to being in the office the way we were before the onset of COVID'. 

Meanwhile, Tabcorp emailed employees to say its 'default position' was for office-based members to return to workstations five days a week.

'What this means is that all office-based team members should work in the office, with their team, every day of the working week,' the internal memo reads.

Head of Atlassian's distributed work model Team Anywhere, Annie Dean, said hardline office mandates 'aren't the solution' for Australian workers.  

She said workers are getting tied-up in 'fake work' which describes tasks that feel like work but do little to actually advance their company. 

'Office attendance does not fix fake work,' Ms Dean told The Australian. 

'Rigorously adopted sets of working norms that increase co-ordination and improve communication and focus fix fake work.

'A business seeking to operate like the world's largest start-up – as Andy Jassy wrote in an Amazon company memo announcing a five-day return to office yesterday – should be pioneering new, more efficient modes of work, not willfully endorsing the old way as a solution to new problems.'

Since 2020, Atlassian has taken a flexible approach to working arrangements with staff able to choose whether they work from home or in an office. 

The KPMG 2024 CEO Outlook survey found 83 per cent of 1,300 global CEOs predict the work from home era will end within the next three years (pictured, office workers in Sydney)

The KPMG 2024 CEO Outlook survey found 83 per cent of 1,300 global CEOs predict the work from home era will end within the next three years (pictured, office workers in Sydney)

Staff at KPMG Australia, the company behind the CEO survey, appear to be safe from the back to the office edict. CEO Andrew Yates (pictured) is not predicting an end to WFH

Staff at KPMG Australia, the company behind the CEO survey, appear to be safe from the back to the office edict. CEO Andrew Yates (pictured) is not predicting an end to WFH

Staff at KPMG Australia, the company behind the 2024 CEO survey, appear to be safe from the back to the office edict for now. 

CEO Andrew Yates is not among those predicting an end to work from home. 

He said the survey results could be a reflection of the specific CEOs questioned or a reset of the last few years which saw a more relaxed WFH culture. 

'I think it does depend on the business,' Mr Yates said. 

'We've seen a number of CEOs come out more recently and mandate a return to the office, and that probably suits their business.' 

The right of Aussie workers to work from home is not protected by law.  

Depending on personal circumstances, workers have the right to request a flexible working arrangement from their bosses under the Fair Work Act. 

Australians can request to work from home or work during non-standard hours if they have caring responsibilities, are pregnant, or in other specific situations. 

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