More companies in Australia adopting flexible work arrangements

More employers in Australia are prioritising meeting work output expectations over time spent in the office, according to a survey of 5,000 employers by Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA), a statutory agency responsible for promoting and improving gender equality in Australian workplaces.

According to WGEA, almost 40% of workplaces had implemented roles that allowed staff to choose how, where and when they work, with a focus on output and outcome. The number of employers who offered work-from-home arrangements jumped from 35% in 2019, to 66% in 2021, with the COVID-19 pandemic accelerating the shift.

Flexible work is also serving as a key driver of gender equality in the workplace, said Mary Wooldridge, Agency Director at WGEA.

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She added, “Employers should be creative to enable their employees to have flexibility that meets their specific needs. Innovative actions we’ve seen from employers include creating shifts specifically within or outside of school hours, and offering job-sharing or part-time work arrangements for managerial or executive roles.”

“These types of measures make it easier for men and women to equally participate in the workforce, whether that’s from the office or home,” she said, reported Australian Associated Press.