Hybrid workers – evidence to support this new mainstream workforce in 2025

The latest debate on whether to ask government employees to return to the office five days a week is heating up and could become one of the focal points for the upcoming federal election, especially for federal public servants. While the debate between the two parties is predominantly centred on a claimed loss of productivity by working from home (WFH), the examples used typify cherry-picking with extreme examples (‘never go on the office’) and citing studies to fit arguments that are hardly indicative of reality.  Stanford researchers have made a clear point in their research that the future winning work pattern is the hybrid work model with no productivity loss[1]. The majority of the Australian workforce are currently working either only in the office or in hybrid mode over the weekday. Australian residences who only work at home or other non-office locations, account for 6% of the total workforce, based on the latest research conducted by the Institute of Transport and Logistics Study (ITLS).  Many of the WFH-only workers are business owners. The table shows that the hybrid workforce has increased in 2024 to over 40%.

In October 2024, hybrid workers on average work 41.8 hrs/week, more than the 34.3 hrs/week by office-only workers, and 29.7 hrs/week by the WFH-only workers. Over a week, in average, 63% of working hours are in the office, 28% of the time WFH, and 9% of the time working in other locations. There is no reason to think that hybrid workers work less since they are the hardest working group. We see strong evidence of a blended workday for each day of the week where work occurs in both the office and the home. On average, hybrid workers spend most hours in the office on Monday and Wednesday (5.3 hours), followed by Tuesday and Thursday (4.9 hours). On Friday, they work less in the office (4.6 hours) with the balance of hours WFH.  

This blended day takes pressure off the road and public transport networks in peak periods. We find that on average, commuters depart from home 70% of the time during peak hours.  Whereas 74% of office-only workers drive to work, only 53% of hybrid workers drive to work, with 31% of hybrid workers taking public transport compared to 15% for office-only workers.

The TOPS survey conducted in September 2024 found that 54% of Australian workers believe their productivity has increased, with another 35% suggesting no change; or 90% of the workers do not believe the flexibility of where and when to work has reduced their productivity. When asked whether their employer believes in a productivity change, 66% suggest that their employers also think the productivity has increased or is maintained, with a further 22% not sure.

Fenizia and Kirchmaier (2025)[2] in a UK survey of public servants, found on average a 12% improvement in productivity, a finding that runs counter to the assumptions underlying current proposals to force federal employees in the USA and Australia back into the office. The study found that these gains were primarily driven by reduced distractions than in the office, where employees were more likely to be interrupted by conversations, coffee breaks, and other non-work-related interactions. By contrast, the relative isolation of remote work allowed for sustained focus, contributing to the higher amount of work logged from home.

The suggestion that productivity has decreased is inaccurate and is being used by many to misinform the real benefits of the hybrid working model. The argument that WFH means loss of productivity is out of date.

[1] https://thehill.com/opinion/technology/4981026-federal-employees-telework-productivity/

[2] https://thehill.com/opinion/technology/4981026-federal-employees-telework-productivity/