Gen Z doesn’t know how good Fridays in the office were

Pre-pandemic, the last day of the working week for most office workers had its own slate of unwritten rules. Jeans were standard, a music playlist could be heard dimly and office chatter was lighter. Close to knockoff, there might even be drinks with conversations turning to weekend plans.

But since the COVID-19 pandemic shifted the way in which Australians work, Fridays are now many employees’ unofficial ‘work from home’ day. Fridays in the office are quieter and workplace culture among colleagues is different. English comedian Robert Mayhew described it well in a TikTok that has racked up almost 815,000 views (his TikTok is embedded in this article).

When COVID-19 forced the closure of many corporate workspaces, office life was forever changed. Some employers adopted work from home or remote work policies, allowing workers to split their time between the office and home. Others allowed their staff to work from home full time.

University of South Australia Centre for Workplace Excellence researcher Dr Subha Parida says working from home was relatively uncommon before the pandemic. However, the need for social distancing and lockdown measures led to a rapid and widespread adoption of remote practices that haven’t returned to the pre-COVID way of work.

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, 60% of managers and professionals and 37% of Australians across all job sectors regularly work from home.

“Even as restrictions have eased, many employees continue to work remotely at least part of the time, indicating a significant shift in work culture,” Dr Parida says. “Research from the Melbourne Institute indicates that most Australian workers desire the option to work from home at least part of the time. In fact, 60% are satisfied with a hybrid work arrangement, which allows them to split their time between home and the office.

“Recent research (from research and consulting firm Gartner) reveals that 78% of Australian workers would not consider employment with a company that lacks a formal flexible work policy.

“Following strong support from major agencies like Services Australia, Home Affairs, Defence and the Australian Tax Office, there will now be a formal process for approving work-from-home requests.

“Employees can appeal denied requests to the Fair Work Commission, reflecting a broader trend where hybrid work and wellbeing factors, such as shorter commutes and increased leisure time, are increasingly prioritised by Australian professionals.”

Many organisations are currently navigating the complexities of work-from-home policies. Dr Parida says nearly 90% of Australian companies have implemented mandatory office days, believing an in-person presence is crucial for collaboration, culture and productivity.

However, not everyone is on the same page when it comes to where and how they like to work.

“Working from home might suit certain employees, but not everyone,” Dr Parida says. “Senior executives often have ‘relational jobs’ that rely on collaborating with others and tend to have lower levels of digital dexterity due to their age. Conversely, some employees deeply value the opportunity to work from home at least part-time.

“However, merely providing a laptop and expecting remote work to mirror office productivity is unrealistic.

“Building a remote work culture requires deliberate effort and can’t replicate the full-time, in-person office environment. Motivation plays a crucial role in predicting effective return to the office. Organisations adopting a forward-thinking approach will be well-placed for success in employees returning to work in the office.”

Ironically, communications technology company Zoom announced in 2023 a return to office plan with employees within 50 miles of an office having to go in at least twice a week. Other big businesses such as Elon Musk’s X (formerly Twitter) and Tesla also announced strict return to office orders. More recently, NSW Premier Chris Minns ordered public service workers back to the office, sparking debate on whether time is up for working from home.

Making a salary sacrifice to work from home

Recent research by UniSA has found that many people are willing to make sacrifices in exchange for remote working flexibility. A survey of more than 1100 Australian workers in 2020-21 found that almost half of Australians are willing to accept a pay cut to be able to work from home. One fifth of those willing to give up some of their earnings would be willing to sacrifice up to $24,000 annually (33% of their salary).

UniSA Research Fellow Dr Lynette Washington, a researcher for UniSA’s Centre for Enterprise Dynamics in Global Economies (C-EDGE), was involved in the study and says those willing to take a pay cut felt more productive at home, could focus better and work longer without it impacting their lives.

“They also reported health and wellbeing benefits from remote work, and they felt they could achieve a better work-life balance. They would exercise more, they had greater life satisfaction, and they were better able to manage personal and family issues,” she says.

On the flipside, more than half of the research participants still favoured working on-site (workplaces also include retail stores and construction sites), saying it was more conducive to career advancement and interpersonal opportunities. Workers aged in their 20s were not as willing to give up a portion of their salary in exchange for remote work flexibility as they worried about the negative impacts of working at home on human relations and establishing their careers in-person.

Dr Washington says workplaces must strike the balance between showing the benefits of returning to the office and allowing workers flexibility when they need it.

“There’s a risk with pushing unwilling employees back into the office and that is that talent might leave the company and go somewhere where they can find the flexibility they’re looking for,” she says. “It’s less likely that businesses will offer lower pay in exchange for remote work flexibility, but more likely they will aim to be an employer of choice by offering flexibility.”

The working from home phenomenon has not only impacted office spaces, but small CBD businesses including cafes, restaurants and bars because of reduced foot traffic on weekdays. Dr Parida, from UniSA’s Centre for Workplace Excellence, says some city cafes have even introduced evening services to tap into the after-work crowd rather than just relying on morning coffee trade. Other businesses are choosing to close on certain days when opening their doors is deemed unviable.

Making offices more appealing

Dr Parida also researches the benefits of ‘green buildings’ – buildings that use less water, optimise energy efficiency, conserve natural resources, generate less waste and provide healthier spaces for occupants. These are compared with conventional buildings, which may have less emphasis on natural lighting, not prioritise sustainability and have poorer ventilation.

Dr Parida says employers must adapt to evolving expectations of workers for office spaces to be sustainable and dynamic.

“The concept of 'placemaking' emphasises how a well-designed workspace can enhance productivity and effectiveness. As workers reconsider their commute time and cost, the physical office environment becomes crucial for motivation and performance,” she says.

“Sustainable and dynamic office spaces boost high-performance teams' productivity by fostering learning, mentorship and personal connections. Features like natural lighting, ergonomic furniture and green spaces not only improve productivity but also demonstrate a company's commitment to environmental responsibility, which can be highly motivating for employees.”

While Fridays in office workplaces might not be what they used to be, if employees are happy and employers satisfied with productivity levels, then perhaps that’s progress.

Dr Subha says the work from home shift has redefined how society traditionally looks at workplace culture, which was heavily dependent on the nine to five office model.

“We are moving towards valuing outcomes over rigid schedules. This is also valuing employee’s mental wellbeing and work life balance. However, culture context has shifted from physical space to virtual environment, thanks to technology. While organisations are finding themselves at a crossroads, the key is a balance between the benefits of work from home and return to the office.”

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@mrrobertmayhew All of this is true #Relatable #agencylife #Corporate ♬ Deep Thinking - Piano Meditation

English comedian Robert Mayhew’s two-minute TikTok ‘Telling Gen Z what Fridays in the office use (sic) to be like’ has racked up almost 815,000 views. “Fridays were everything, your whole week was building up to Friday,” he says.