According to a new report by tech platform Slack, the flexibility offered by remote work is becoming increasingly important to employees. As a result, it’s no longer just a nice-to-have perk for many organisations, but an important part of keeping the workforce engaged and productive over the long term. 

“As we ponder the return to the office, the work model an organisation implements, as well as the technology that drives this model, will be a critical factor in attracting and retaining the right talent into the future,” the report said.

“Nearly half of Aussie knowledge workers said that by returning to the office, they would miss wearing casual clothes every day, while 44 per cent would miss skipping the dreaded commute to work. Importantly, 47 per cent of employees said that working from home provided a better work/life balance.”

Despite this, the study also noted a gap between the preferences of employees and the work models many organisations are implementing. 

“For example, 50 per cent of respondents said they had returned full-time to the office, and yet just 42 per cent of respondents said this was their preference. Meanwhile, 32 per cent of respondents said they had returned to a hybrid model (a combination of time working in the office and remotely), despite the preference overall for this type of arrangement being much higher at 40 per cent.”

In compiling its report, Slack surveyed 1,000 Australian knowledge workers in organisations of 100+ employees in March 2021. 

Other findings from Slack’s Remote Work Tech Effect study suggested that new methods of technology-based collaboration are becoming more important in the workplace with software and apps (60 per cent) now almost as commonly used as email (66 per cent), while four in five respondents said that the tech they use at work gives them a sense of belonging.

Many of the takeaways here mirror those in Gitlab’s recent 2021 Remote Work Report, which found that 52 per cent of remote workers would consider leaving their company for a remote role and that one in three respondents would leave their job if remote work was suddenly no longer an option.

About the author

Fergus is a journalist for Momentum Media's nestegg and Smart Property Investment. He likes to write about money, markets, how innovation is changing the financial landscape and how younger consumers can achieve their goals in unpredictable times. 

Fergus is a journalist for Momentum Media's nestegg and Smart Property Investment. He likes to write about money, markets, how innovation is changing the financial landscape and how younger consumers can achieve their goals in unpredictable times.