Employment platform SEEK has released its latest pulse check on job ads in Australia that mention working from home arrangements. This provides valuable insights into how flexible working is continuing to evolve across the country, particularly in the midst of discussions on the gradual return to office.
Overall, 9% of total job ads on SEEK mention work from home – a figure that has declined incrementally since 2023 (10%). The attached data breaks down this proportion change in ads mentioning working from home even further, at an industry level. The below is a snapshot of the industries that have the highest proportion of job ads that mention work-from-home:
- Insurance & Superannuation – 51.5%
- Consulting & Strategy – 32.1%
- Information & Communication Technology – 29.5%
- Legal – 26.3%
- Human Resources & Recruitment – 25.2%
This pulse check is released following the recent Money Matters Report from SEEK which revealed the significant value being placed on work-life balance, including the ability to work from home.
For a full industry breakdown and comparisons of thereturn to office trend over time since 2020, please refer to the attached table and graph include in this article.
SEEK’s Senior Economist, Blair Chapman, explains: “The proportion of job ads mentioning WFH has been slowly trending down since its peak in April 2023. At just under 10%, it’s not a dramatic decline, but it does show there are still many roles where remote work isn’t possible. Insurance & Superannuation leads the way, with around 50% of roles offering remote work, while Banking & Financial Services lags at just 25%. Only five industries have increased their WFH propensity since April 2023, suggesting that employers aren’t leaning on flexibility to attract talent as much as before.”