Date published:
BCARR has released its findings on the effects of social, demographic and spatial factors on Work from Home uptake and capability in a new research report.
Key findings of this report on ‘The role of socio-demographic and spatial characteristics in Work from Home in Australia’ include:
- Previous WfH research has established that employment and employer characteristics—such as occupation, industry, firm size and income—are key determinants of Work from Home (WfH) capability and uptake.
- This study finds that socio-demographic and spatial factors also play an important role in affecting WfH outcomes in Australian cities.
- The specific socio-demographic and spatial factors found to have the greatest impact on WfH outcomes are educational qualifications, disability status, age, place of residence and place of work. WfH capability and uptake are significantly higher for employed individuals with:
- a bachelor’s degree or higher qualification;
- a disability;
- an age of less than 50;
- a place of residence in Sydney or Melbourne or the inner ring of one of the five major capital cities;
- a place of work in the Central Business District (CBD) of Sydney or Melbourne.
- WfH practices can influence relocation decisions. For example, during the pandemic, non-managerial employees with higher WfH capability and uptake were more likely to relocate, and were also more willing to consider living further away from their workplace.
- WfH uptake rates surged in Australia during the pandemic, and have since declined, but WfH uptake remains much higher than it was pre-pandemic. As of early 2023, WfH uptake appears to be stabilising at just over 1 day per worker per week, nationally.