Flexible working Is here to stay

„ DALLAS SHERRINGHAM

IN years gone by it was retirees who led the charge to relocate to spots like the Central Coast and Port Stephens but in 2023 young workers are leading the way.

Hands up those of us who have dreamt of a few acres in the country, a bush shack at Ballina or a nice quiet little village to retire in after working from home in the pandemic. Well, you definitely are not alone.

According to research conducted by leading payroll and HR services company ADP, nearly half of Australian workers are considering or already in the process of relocating within the country due to soaring living costs, inaccessible housing markets and years of successful remote working.

quality of life, affordable housing and new job opportunities.”

The research showed that the desire to relocate was strongest among younger workers, with well over half of 18-24 year olds looking for a change in scenery, compared to only 28% of 45-54 year olds.

Men were also more likely to be motivated to move than women. Moreover, more than half of 18-24 year olds and nearly twothirds of 25-34 year olds would consider looking for another job if their employer insisted on a full-time return to the workplace.

This compared to 46% of the 45-54 age bracket and only 27% of the 55 and over demographic, indicating a strong correlation between the desire to relocate and the demand for flexible working models among the younger age group.

Women

Travel trends are changing.

The ‘People at Work: A Global Workforce View’ survey also found that exposure to remote working was a significant factor in whether people wanted to relocate, with those who worked from home being almost three times more likely to want a change in scenery than those who did not.

Access to greater talent

Managing Director ANZ at ADP Kylie Baullo said the pandemic has changed workers’ expectations and increased the need for employers to provide a better work-life balance to retain and attract top talent.

With office occupancy at its highest level since the pandemic began in Australia, ADP recommends that employers prepare for a hybrid workplace, as flexible working is here to stay.

Ms Baullo said businesses should offer remote work options and work with a payroll expert to manage smooth transitions as multiple employees may move at any given time and different locations may have various payment conditions.

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She said the dispersed workforce created by remote working presented a win-win situation for both employees and employers.

“Employers can access a greater talent pool by opening up new geographies to source grassroots talent from and employees can relocate to areas with a better

The ADP survey suggests that remote working has given employees new opportunities to relocate, pursue a better quality of life and access new job opportunities, with younger workers leading the trend.

As flexible working is here to stay, businesses must embrace the dispersed workforce and prepare for a hybrid workplace to retain and attract top talent

For more information on ADP’s payroll and HR software solutions, go to au.adp.com.