What is the future of working from home?

A Swinburne survey found that the most significant benefit of working from home during COVID-19 was not having to commute, followed closely by greater flexibility and financial savings.
In summary
- Swinburne conducted a survey of 272 Australians’ working from home experiences
- The survey found 76% of managers believe their teams are more likely to work from home in the future than in the past
- This video is part of Swinburne's Australian Graduate School of Entrepreneurship 'Ideas and Innovation' series
Professor of Human Resource Management Anne Bardoel explores the future of working from home and the findings of a Swinburne survey that asked 272 Australians about their working from home experiences.

What a challenging couple of months we’ve had. Many people have found themselves working from home five days a week for the very first time.
Swinburne recently conducted a survey asking Australians to share their experiences of working from home.
The survey found 76% of managers believe their teams were more likely to work from home in the future than they had in the past. Manager opinions are important to determining the likelihood of working from home programs in the future.
Weighing up the pros and cons
The survey also revealed a number of advantages of working from home including less time commuting (89% said this was the most significant benefit), and greater flexibility determining when and where work happens, increasing a sense of work/life balance.
The survey also identified difficulties of working from home including the blurring of work and home lives and problems shutting off from work.
A similar German study found that people who work home more than in the office reported higher job satisfaction, but also reported greater levels of exhaustion, nervousness, sleep difficulties and disorders, and a lack of ability to concentrate.
This seems like a contradiction. However, one of the things the research has suggested is that the digital technologies we use that enable us to work from home are available 24 hours a day, and it takes more individual responsibility to shut ourselves away from those technologies that may lead to these stress disorders.
Will we work from home more in the future?
I think the answer is yes. We’ve gone through a structural shift where both managers and employees feel much more positive about the work from home experience.
However, it’s also really important that managers and employees communicate and develop trust in these working arrangements, particularly in setting clear expectations about roles, responsibilities and performance.
One thing is for sure – HR practitioners will play an important role in setting up guidelines and policies for working from home and advising organisations and managers about flexible work arrangements into the future.
This video is part of Swinburne’s Australian Graduate School of Entrepreneurship ‘Ideas and Innovation’ series.
Media enquiries
-
Media Enquiries
Related articles
-
- Student News
- Business
- University
International students share their experience and advice on working in Australia
International students Khuslen Tsendbaatar and Zayed Al Kathiri reflect on working in Australia after their year-long paid Professional Placement in Swinburne’s Careers & Employability team.
Tuesday 17 January 2023 -
- Technology
The world of deepfake advertising is coming this decade
New Swinburne research reveals how deepfakes are likely to be used by companies and marketers, starting in the next decade.
Friday 11 November 2022 -
- Student News
- Social Affairs
Swinburne journalism students to host live state election broadcast
Swinburne students will be reporting on the Victorian state election with a live radio broadcast on the Vision Australia radio network
Monday 21 November 2022 -
- Business
Flexible work supports mental wellbeing, but only with good leadership
Swinburne Edge and Deloitte have released a new report, Reset, Restore, Reframe – Enabling Wellbeing through Flexible Working which shows that flexible work improves our physical and mental health, but only when guided by a clear, supportive framework.
Tuesday 08 November 2022 -
- Technology
- Business
Deliberate and dynamic startup ideas for next gen
Swinburne’s 2022 Venture Cup Pitch Night welcomed 10 startups as they built, tested and iterated their innovative startup ideas.
Thursday 17 November 2022