Aussies reveal their work from anywhere dreams and realities in 2023

From Bali to the boardroom, where and how Aussies work (and wish they were working)

Sydney, March 2023: A new survey of more than 1,000 corporate workers has unveiled the ‘work from anywhere’ dreams and realities for Australians in 2023. The exclusive data reveals some surprising insights into where we’re working when away from our desk, as well as where our ideal destinations and locations are to work (if we had the choice).

Australian corporate community platform, The Aussie Corporate, and local technology startup brand, espresso Displays, teamed up to ask Australian corporate workers for their views on their work habits today, as well as their frustrations and dreams when it comes to the freedom to work from various locations.

1,116 corporate workers from more than 60 companies around the country responded to the anonymous survey, which was run through the Aussie Corporate website and social media channels. There were some surprising results in the findings and anecdotal commentary from the respondents.

Key findings:

How important is working from anywhere when looking for a job: We want freedom.

If Aussie employers want the best talent, they need to be flexible and provide their teams with the best tools to work from anywhere.
Work from anywhere policies give employers an edge in the war for talent: 89.9% of respondents stated that they agree or strongly agree that work from anywhere policies are important when choosing their next job.
The majority of respondents felt Australian companies are doing well in supporting people with the tools to work from anywhere, but more than 40% do not!

Where are we working when away from their home or office desk: Home and away.

The office or home office desk is only part of the story these days!
More than 60% of Aussie corporates work ‘often’ or ‘occasionally’ from a third location.
When working away from the office or home office desk, we’re most likely to be at cafes, homes of friends and family, or couches.
A surprising number of people also work from their beds - even on conference calls!

Can tech provide the freedom we want: Is tech giving us what we need to achieve.

While laptops and slow internet connections are among the top three pain points when it comes to being more productive anywhere, it's actually more screens that Aussies want to solve the biggest work from anywhere challenges.
77% of respondents ranked having an additional monitor as the #1 thing they would upgrade immediately to boost productivity.
The majority of Aussies think that an additional monitor would increase their productivity by 60% or more.

The Aussies who remain desk-bound:

Many Australians remain chained to their desk, with 13.6% stating that they never work anywhere other than a desk at either home or their corporate office.

Are we seeing the death of the office deskspace?

The Aussie ‘work from anywhere’ dream: When asked to share their most preferred destinations or locations, Aussies opted for some old favourites but revealed some surprising trends in terms of life from a van or a permanent life as a global nomad.

Top 5 work from anywhere destinations of choice:
- Bali
- Italy
- Thailand
- Japan
- Regional Australia (with a high percentage opting to live and work from a Van)
Top 5 work from anywhere locations of choice:
- Beachside
- Mountain cabin
- Cafe
- Their own home
- The road - anywhere and everywhere as a global nomad

Scott McKeon, a co-founder at espresso Displays, said:

“People turned to technology during COVID, and that same technology is now empowering a new movement for people to seek out working options based on how they want to live and work.”
“People are demanding flexibility both in terms of where and how they work, as well as with the careers and employers they choose. This means that tech tools become even more important when it comes to giving people the freedom and power to make those choices.”
“Are we seeing the slow death of the office desk? Not yet, but it is no longer the single most important factor when you think about everywhere else people undertake their work.

The office is everywhere, whether employers like it or not.