Mark Wright, head of immigration at KPMG, said the new Woolworths Metro was a sign of more workers heading to the office. (Source: Mark Wright)
The opening of Woolworths Metro’s new store in Sydney’s Barangaroo is “further sign” that the days of working from home (WFH) are coming to an end. The Australian executive said the move was a “clear sign” that more workers would return to the office.
Audit firm KPMG found that an astonishing 82 per cent of Australian CEOs want white-collar workers to return to the office full-time within three years. This was an increase from 66 per cent recorded in last year’s survey.
Mark Wright, head of immigration at KPMG, said Woolworths’ decision to open a new store in a major financial hub could be another nail in the coffin for WFH.
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“As anyone who works in the supermarket corporate sector will know, Woolworths Group will have carefully considered its decision to open Metro in Sydney’s Barangaroo area,” Mr Wright said.
“The economics of this decision clearly point to more people returning to the office.”
Nevertheless, Mr Wright said Woolworths’ move did not mean remote working was just a “temporary trend”.
He said a “variety of factors” are at play in the return to the office, adding that the increased use of AI will encourage young talent to “build networks and forge new career paths within the office”. I predicted it would be deafening.
He said: “As economic conditions change, employers will look for ways to increase productivity and reduce costs. This will lead to measures being taken to encourage talent to return to the office.” said.
“Top talent will find it difficult to advance their careers remotely in this evolving work environment.
“The growth in the inbound talent population will impact the trend of local talent returning to the office due to increased competition for roles that will evolve with the increased use of technology.”
The Woolworths Metro store in Barangaroo is expected to open later this month and will create 45 jobs once it opens.
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The trend of working from home is changing
Amazon CEO Andy Jassy recently ordered his staff, including around 7,000 Australian employees, to return to the office full-time from January next year.
In a memo to staff, Jassy said the company “believes in the great benefits of being together in the office.”
He said the office makes it easier for staff to learn, collaborate and brainstorm, allowing Amazon to “strengthen” its culture and allow teams to “better connect with each other.”
Australian gambling company Tabcorp also ordered 1,000 employees to return to the office virtually immediately. CEO Gillon McLachlan said the move would drive a “winning culture” and “deliver results and success”.
The New South Wales Government ordered 450,000 public sector workers back to the office in August, and not only is office space available, but junior staff can benefit from face-to-face learning from more experienced colleagues. He also pointed out the problem of not having one.
Bosses surveyed by KPMG warned that employees who don’t come into the office could be penalized, with 78% offering incentives such as promotions, raises or better projects for those who do. He replied that he would be compensated.
A Robert Half study found that around two in five Australian employees are now expected to come into the office five days a week. This is double the number recorded last year.
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