[Australia] Workplaces tempt employees back to office with freebies and extra leave

In Australia, research has shown that close to 90 per cent of employers have mandated weekly office days, ABC News reports.

The compulsory return has been hard on workers. The 2023 research - a survey of recruitment firms - found around one-third of participating workplaces reported at least one person quitting due to such mandates. 

While in the US, research revealed that enforcing in-office days led to lower job satisfaction.

Now organisations are reportedly upping the ante, offering incentives ranging from free kombucha to extra leave to tempt employees to return.

 Aline Van Koninckxloo - Stake's global head of people - told ABC News the flexible conditions given to employees post-pandemic were ineffective.

"People were coming to the office, but on different days and it didn't enhance any collaboration," she said.

"We are trying to recreate the office environment that we used to love before COVID, but also giving people the time back to spend doing what they love."

Over half of Stake's 73 Sydney-based employees have taken up the offer so this appears to be a successful approach. 

Ms Van Koninckxloo said the changes had also helped with employee retention.

"We found the turnover increases the more people work remotely and from home," she said.

"So having people to the office more often and working closely with each other means that the staff turnover is going down, which is obviously a really good outcome for us."

Other companies have introduced extra in-office perks to win workers back.

Cryptocurrency firm Swyftx increased workplace incentives to get staff to attend its Brisbane office for at least two days a week.

Swyftx reportedly has an in-house barista, free catered lunches and on-tap kombucha on tap, plus free weekly tennis lessons and a virtual golf course on site.

The majority of Swyftx's workforce were tech workers who did not want to come into the office often, Danielle Arrebola - the company’s talent acquisition manager - said.

"We have a lot of introverts, especially software engineers," Ms Arrebola said.

"They are the type of people that love working from home.

"They love routine and creature comforts … so investing in state-of-the-art office chairs and having perks like catered lunches helps bring people back into the office."

Irrespective of the lure of perks, research shows most employees value flexibility.

The University of Sydney led a national qualitative study over the past four years with 500 participants discussing what they want from work.

Its key takeaway was reportedly the desire for flexibility — regardless of location, gender, or industry, according to Professor Rae Cooper the study’s lead author.

"Whether people work in the city or work in the outer suburbs or regionally," she said.

"[Or] they are with or without kids, or in professional or frontline jobs, there is a very strong demand for flexible work."

In addition, the study found flexible work opportunities were not evenly distributed.

"Contrary to what you would expect, men actually have better access to flexible working arrangements and they actually use them more than women do," Professor Cooper said.

"That reflects the structure of the labour market that when you're in more senior jobs, you have more capacity to control where you work and when you work."

Source: ABC News

(Links and quotes via original reporting)

In Australia, research has shown that close to 90 per cent of employers have mandated weekly office days, ABC News reports.

The compulsory return has been hard on workers. The 2023 research - a survey of recruitment firms - found around one-third of participating workplaces reported at least one person quitting due to such mandates. 

While in the US, research revealed that enforcing in-office days led to lower job satisfaction.

Now organisations are reportedly upping the ante, offering incentives ranging from free kombucha to extra leave to tempt employees to return.

 Aline Van Koninckxloo - Stake's global head of people - told ABC News the flexible conditions given to employees post-pandemic were ineffective.

"People were coming to the office, but on different days and it didn't enhance any collaboration," she said.

"We are trying to recreate the office environment that we used to love before COVID, but also giving people the time back to spend doing what they love."

Over half of Stake's 73 Sydney-based employees have taken up the offer so this appears to be a successful approach. 

Ms Van Koninckxloo said the changes had also helped with employee retention.

"We found the turnover increases the more people work remotely and from home," she said.

"So having people to the office more often and working closely with each other means that the staff turnover is going down, which is obviously a really good outcome for us."

Other companies have introduced extra in-office perks to win workers back.

Cryptocurrency firm Swyftx increased workplace incentives to get staff to attend its Brisbane office for at least two days a week.

Swyftx reportedly has an in-house barista, free catered lunches and on-tap kombucha on tap, plus free weekly tennis lessons and a virtual golf course on site.

The majority of Swyftx's workforce were tech workers who did not want to come into the office often, Danielle Arrebola - the company’s talent acquisition manager - said.

"We have a lot of introverts, especially software engineers," Ms Arrebola said.

"They are the type of people that love working from home.

"They love routine and creature comforts … so investing in state-of-the-art office chairs and having perks like catered lunches helps bring people back into the office."

Irrespective of the lure of perks, research shows most employees value flexibility.

The University of Sydney led a national qualitative study over the past four years with 500 participants discussing what they want from work.

Its key takeaway was reportedly the desire for flexibility — regardless of location, gender, or industry, according to Professor Rae Cooper the study’s lead author.

"Whether people work in the city or work in the outer suburbs or regionally," she said.

"[Or] they are with or without kids, or in professional or frontline jobs, there is a very strong demand for flexible work."

In addition, the study found flexible work opportunities were not evenly distributed.

"Contrary to what you would expect, men actually have better access to flexible working arrangements and they actually use them more than women do," Professor Cooper said.

"That reflects the structure of the labour market that when you're in more senior jobs, you have more capacity to control where you work and when you work."

Source: ABC News

(Links and quotes via original reporting)