‘Disrespectful and out of step’: Council staff revolt over end of flexible working

The Labor-led council initially wanted staff back in the office by July 31, but pushed back the return to office date to September 11 to give people more time to prepare.

Not all staff found hybrid work a positive experience, the council spokeswoman said.

“We heard from our staff that many worked longer hours when working at home and there was no clear delineation between home and work life,” she said.

Business Sydney executive director Paul Nicolaou in January said it was time for Sydney CBD workers to return to their offices at least three to four days a week to “get the city humming again”.

Commonwealth Bank chief Matt Comyn in May told the bank’s 49,000 staff to come into the office for at least 50 per cent of their working time.

In contrast, local councils such as the City of Sydney, Northern Beaches and City of Parramatta maintain hybrid work arrangements.

“Hybrid working arrangements are important to attract staff and assist in Parramatta continuing to be an employer of choice,” a City of Parramatta spokeswoman said.

A NSW Public Service Commission spokeswoman said flexible working is part of modern employment.

Government agencies found during the pandemic that many roles were able to be done remotely and maintain previous levels of productivity, she said.

“Offering flexible working arrangements, where possible, is key to attracting and retaining talent, particularly in a tight labour market,” she said.

But national employer association Ai Group head Innes Willox said employers were losing patience with staff who hardly turn up or do not turn up at all.

“As the economy slows and contracts, businesses will look at costs and the roles of those who don’t turn up will naturally be the first in the spotlight,” he said. “If employees aren’t visible, their contribution is not as noticeable to employers and colleagues.”

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As unions seek to embed hybrid work in workplace agreements, Willox said employers were concerned that it had become an entitlement.

“Employers are becoming increasingly concerned that productivity among white-collar workers is slipping as they stay at home and lose connection with their colleagues and workplaces,” he said. “The longer people stay away the greater the frustration will be.”

“Work from home” has been the most popular search term on jobs platform SEEK since June 2022, and is more important for some jobseekers than salary, said SEEK chief people and culture officer Kathleen McCudden.

She said the ability to work from home is considered a “must-have” by 29 per cent of women, 25 per cent of men and 32 per cent of Millennials (aged 27 to 42).

Research by University of Sydney professor of gender, work and employment relations Rae Cooper found employees believed working from home a few days a week allowed them to be more productive because they can better focus on complex tasks, complete work without interruption “and be happier and healthier to boot”.

Cooper said many Australian managers took a “bums on seats” approach to performance management: “They don’t think people are working if they can’t physically see them, when I think a more flexible, consultative and considered approach may pay better dividends.”

Randwick Deputy Mayor Rafaela Pandolfini said the mandate for staff to come in five days a week was “rushed, disrespectful and out of step with contemporary workforce practice and research”.

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“I would certainly consider leaving if that was my workplace,” she said. “I have a primary school child and if I were mandated with five weeks’ notice it would impact me significantly.”

Pandolfini said it had been well-documented that women and carers are the most heavily impacted by inflexible working arrangements.

“This is being driven by a majority male executive team at Randwick City Council,” she said. “There is one female director. And this is what happens when management does not reflect society.”

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