Latest news with #work-life balance
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Major new work from home rule every Aussie needs to know about - after worker tried to fight decision to go back to the office fulltime
A Sydney father's bid to work from home two days a week has been rejected by the Fair Work Commission, in a case that could have legal ramifications for Aussies forced back into the office Paul Collins, a long-serving tech specialist at global software firm Intersystems, requested to continue working remotely on Wednesdays and Thursdays. This followed the company's decision to end its COVID-era remote work arrangements in February and require all staff to return to the office full-time. In his request to Intersystems, the specialist said he wanted to work from home for better work-life balance and to help care for his eight and ten-year-old kids, a responsibility he shares with his wife, who also works at Intersystems. While the employer denied the request, it offered a one-day-a-week compromise, which Mr Collins rejected, before the matter escalated to the Commission. But the Fair Work Commission wasn't convinced. In a decisive ruling, Deputy President Lyndall Dean said a 'personal preference' for remote work simply wasn't enough. 'His written request merely expressed a preference to continue with a pre-existing pattern of remote work and failed to articulate how working from home two days per week specifically supported or related to his parental responsibilities.' The Commission found Collins failed to show a direct link between his request and any specific parental duties that required him to be home during core working hours. 'He conceded in cross-examination that he has no specific caring duties between the core working hours of 9am and 5.00pm, and that he and his wife are able to manage school drop-offs and pick-ups through existing flexibility including adjusted start and finish times,' she said. Ms Dean ruled the specialist's written plea, which expressed a preference to continue with a pre‑existing pattern of remote work, failed to articulate how working from home specifically supported or related to his parental responsibilities. Monash University business law lecturer Amanda Selvarajah said the Fair Work Commission now seems to require parents to provide formal evidence of direct caregiving duties, such as personally supervising children, when applying for flexible work. Broader parental responsibilities, like cooking meals or maintaining the household, are often dismissed as irrelevant. 'The FWC appears to have assumed that flexible work requests as a parent will only have a requisite nexus where the parent can prove they are engaging in exclusive, direct caregiving responsibilities,' Selvarajah said in her paper. 'This neglects other potential parental obligations such as preparing meals or cleaning the home.' She warned the Commission's strict evidentiary standards are likely to disproportionately affect women, who tend to carry the bulk of caregiving responsibilities. 'This does not align with the Fair Work Act's objective of promoting gender equality,' she said.
News.com.au
13-07-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
What is the best workplace change of the 21st century?
Since the start of the 21st century Australia's work landscape has undergone a number of monumental changes. If you compare a typical Aussie office worker from 25 years ago to now, there are many undeniable differences, from the way work is completed, where the work is done and even those surrounding them in the workplace. With so many major changes over the years, it is hard to choose which has been the most transformative to our workplaces. Our 25@25 series will finally put to bed the debates you've been having at the pub and around dinner tables for years – and some that are just too much fun not to include. For example, the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns rapidly transformed where we work, with millions of Australians ordered to work from home. As a result, remote and hybrid work has now become the norm for a lot of Aussies who had previously only ever known working in an office full time. Work-life balance has become an increasingly important focus for workers, with the introduction of the Right to Disconnect and the four-day week movement gaining significant traction in recent years. Then there are other changes, like companies favouring open plan offices over cubicles and casual work attire becoming more acceptable. Another major transformation has been the rise of women in leadership roles, with leadership specialist, Amy Jacobson, noting it has been 'both frustrating and fascinating to watch'. Speaking to the author of The Emotional Intelligence Advantage, said we have now passed through the 'frustrating' era where female leaders felt like they had to act like 'one of the boys' to fit in. 'Resulting in unauthentic and at times defensive leadership, along with the abhorrent female quota tick-a-box that seemed to consume workplaces as a first reaction,' she said. 'Workplaces are shifting with an increased focus in areas such as emotional intelligence, diversity and inclusion and with these changes we are seeing more genuine female leaders being comfortable to own who they are and be true to their own leadership style.' Ms Jacobson said this change has also resulted in increasing confidence among women in the workforce. The leadership specialist named the introduction of the Right to Disconnect as another game changer for workplaces across the country, saying it signifies a 'fantastic shift' in our mindset when it comes to work. The law, which came into effect in August 2024, gives employees the right to refuse contact outside of their working hours. Staff are not required to monitor, read, or respond to contact from an employer or third party – within reason. 'With so many people pouring endless hours into work, the real measure of success in life had become disjointed. Success isn't measured by job titles, pay packets and other materialistic things,' Ms Jacobson said. 'True success is happiness, and happiness means a healthy life balance between all our priorities. The realisation that the choice lies with us on how we prioritise our lives and choose to spend our time.' Recruitment specialist Roxanne Calder said there are a number of changes that have made work 'more human' over the years, with one being salary discussions becoming more open. Speaking to the Earning Power author said there is no doubt that salary transparency has 'shifted power dynamics' within the workplace. 'It is harder to ignore or, in some cases, justify pay gaps when information flows freely, forcing organisations to align compensation with contribution rather than bias or legacy,' she said. 'This openness has also built trust. Ultimately, it challenges leaders to explain not just how they pay people, but why.' Another change that Ms Calder said has 'forever redefined the way we look at productivity' is remote work, challenging the myth that you can only perform well if you are sitting at your desk in an office. She noted this has been a test of trust for organisations, forcing many to shift the way performance is measured, rather than relying on physical presence as a barometer for how much work a person is putting on. 'If done well, remote work can create workplaces that are not only more efficient but also more humane, valuing results and wellbeing together,' she said. Speaking of productivity, Donna McGeorge, author of the It's About Times series, said the rise of AI within the workplace has been a 'game changer'. The productivity specialist told that, if used correctly, the new technology can give employees time back for more meaningful and high value work. 'Email drafting and meeting summaries are the most obvious places to start,' she said. Other changes like open plan offices have also helped encourage collaboration and more dynamic communication, which can then lead to more productive working relationships between colleagues. 'The best open plan offices balance it out with purpose built spaces for collaboration and quiet spaces for deep work,' Ms McGeorge said. She added that all the changes we have seen over the years are 'signs we're redesigning work to work better for humans'.
