Australia sees rise in telework despite easing restrictions

Despite easing restrictions, the number of Australian businesses teleworking has increased, according to data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

Of that, 30% of Australian businesses have staff who are currently teleworking, up 20% before COVID-19 restrictions were imposed, but also down from the 43% reported last September. 

The survey, conducted from April 14 to 21 this year, also revealed that of the companies that had workers teleworking prior to COVID-19, some 27% of these businesses have increased the proportion of staff teleworking, while 33% have increased the frequency of their staff teleworking. 

It also showed that larger businesses (40%) were twice as likely to have introduced remote working arrangements in response to COVID-19 as compared to smaller firms (21%). 

Meanwhile, of companies already teleworking, larger firms (83%) were also more likely to have increased the proportion of workers who work remotely, as compared to smaller firms (23%).

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Companies in the sector of “Information Media and Telecommunications” increased the proportion of their staff teleworking by 14%, and the frequency of teleworking by 13%. 

For businesses in the sector which had already adopted teleworking practices, the proportion of their staff on a telework arrangement rose by 57%, and the frequency was up 54%.