A growing number of Australians feel comfortable working from home in their pyjamas or out of the office and on the move, a new survey has found.
The Employee Insights Survey, conducted by global recruitment consultancy Robert Walters, found that nearly 48 percent of Australian professionals prefer a flexible working environment to spending their time in the office. Those involved in engineering, mining and operations most favour alternatives to traditional office hours, with 30 percent showing a preference for working on the move.
The growing influence and integration of technology in workplace practices means more and more professionals will favour alternatives to traditional working practices, says Managing Director of Robert Walters, Australia James Nicholson.
“The landscape of the working world is changing – with the growing use of handheld devices, laptops with remote access and employers appreciating the need for flexibility – workers are no longer chained to their desks”, claims Mr Nicholson
“The most effective approaches to work can differ between sectors, states, companies and individuals, so it is important for employers to take the time to ascertain what gets the best results from their staff,” adds Mr Nicholson.
The survey also found evidence of a clear attitude shift across different generations of workers. The majority of younger professionals, like those belonging to Generation Y, most benefit for working mainly from the office, with nearly 60 percent indicating the importance of a traditional workplace environment. Only 3 percent felt they could successfully work from home.
In contrast, the older generation of Baby Boomers felt at ease with working largely from home, with 18 percent embracing a more flexible working approach.
