41% of Kiwi workers mandated to attend the office 5 days a week

5 days a week is the most popular mandated number of days for staff to attend the office in New Zealand.

20% of Kiwi workers are unsatisfied with the number of days they are mandated to attend the office.

Better collaboration and teamwork (57%) is cited as the most positive impact of in-office work, while increased costs for commuting and lunch (52%) is cited as having the most negative impact on jobs.

Auckland, 17 July 2024 – As employers attempt to restore pre-pandemic office attendance levels, more than four in ten (41%) Kiwi workers say they are mandated to attend the office full-time, new independent research by specialised recruiter Robert Half finds.

Attendance in the office five days a week is the most common mandate for New Zealand workers, followed by 18% required to attend three days a week and 16% mandated to four days a week.

Only 15% of workers say they have total flexibility on when they attend the office in 2024.

Number of days workers must attend the office	2024
5 days a week	41%
4 days a week	15%
3 days a week	18%
2 days a week	8%
1 day a week	3%
No mandate and complete flexibility	15%

Source: Independent survey commissioned by Robert Half among 501 New Zealand full-time workers in June 2024.

Positive response for workers on in-office mandates

New Zealand workers have accepted that in-office days are necessary for their employee experience. The majority (80%) of workers say they are satisfied with the number of days required of them to go in, while 20% say they are unsatisfied.

There is no clear correlation between the number of mandated days and the level of employee satisfaction. Workers who are mandated to attend the office four days a week are the most unsatisfied (33%), while only 19% of those who attend three and five days a week are unsatisfied.

The good and bad

Even though most office workers are satisfied with their in-office requirements, workers are in two minds about the impact working in the office has on their job.

More than nine in 10 (93%) office workers recognise the positive impact of working from the office. The positive impacts cited by workers include:

Better collaboration and teamwork (57%)

Better communication and relationship building (51%)

Access to resources and support (47%)

Clearer boundaries between work life and personal life (42%)

Only 7% of workers say there are no positive impacts.

At the same time, 87% of staff also identify negative impacts of in-office work with the most common reasons being:

Increased costs (e.g., commute, lunch, etc.) (52%)

Increased stress (37%)

Challenges to manage healthy work-life balance (e.g., commute) (37%)

Lack of flexibility in work schedule (31%)

Only 13% of workers say there are no negative impacts.

"We are coming full circle back to pre-pandemic levels where hybrid working was the exception, not the rule. New Zealand workers are back in the office more than they have been since the pandemic as many companies are seizing the employer-favouring job market to request their staff to return," says Megan Alexander, Managing Director at Robert Half.

“Despite workers acknowledging the benefits of increasing their office attendance, the move to reduce remote and hybrid work options is not universally embraced by employees.

“Mandatory office attendance can be a mixed bag for workers, offering advantages alongside potential downsides. While they foster collaboration and culture, they can also lead to resentment and disengagement if not implemented and justified thoughtfully. While employees are adjusting to more frequent office attendance, employers must focus on creating a positive and engaging workplace that emphasises the benefits of in-person connection, rather than making it a dreaded obligation,” concludes Alexander.

RobertHalf_NZ_July_officemandates.pdf

About the research

The study is developed by Robert Half and was conducted online in June 2024 by an independent research company, surveying 501 full-time office workers across New Zealand. This survey is part of the international workplace survey, a questionnaire about job trends, talent management and trends in the workplace.      

About Robert Half

Robert Half is the global, specialised talent solutions provider that helps employers find their next great hire and jobseekers uncover their next opportunity. Robert Half offers both contract and permanent placement services, and is the parent company of Protiviti, a global consulting firm. Robert Half New Zealand has an office in Aukland. More information on roberthalf.co.nz.

For more information    

Courtney Fletcher

PR Manager

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+61 421 209 304