When Flexibility Goes Too Far
Let’s face it – few topics stir up as much office tension as where the office should actually be.
Once upon a time, working from home was a pandemic necessity. Now it’s a lifestyle expectation, an industrial relations battlefield, and in some cases, a court case.
The recent Fair Work ruling against Westpac – siding with an employee who refused to show up two days a week – is a big moment. It’s being hailed as a victory for flexibility. And yes, that’s a good thing. The world’s changing, and work needs to change with it.
But let’s not pretend this is risk-free.
Businesses exist to create value, train people, and serve clients – and those things thrive on collaboration and culture. Strip away the human connection, and you start to lose more than just water-cooler chat. You lose mentorship, shared energy, and that unspoken rhythm that makes teams tick.
Remote work absolutely has its upside – fewer commutes, better balance, and access to talent from anywhere. But when personal preference starts trumping organisational purpose, the pendulum swings too far. That’s when the tail starts wagging the dog.
And here’s the uncomfortable truth:
If businesses can’t require staff to turn up at all, what’s stopping them from hiring someone in Manila or Mumbai to do the same job for a third of the cost? Flexibility cuts both ways. The risk isn’t just cultural – it’s economic.
Then there’s productivity.
For every legend logging back in after school pick-ups, there’s another who’s ghosted their team since lunchtime. Add AI into the mix – which can now do many remote admin tasks without the caffeine breaks – and the case for value-driven performance becomes pretty compelling.
The answer isn’t to swing the pendulum back to 2019. It’s to find balance. Flexibility should empower, not excuse disengagement. The best leaders will set clear expectations, measure outcomes (not appearances), and build cultures where trust and accountability still matter – slippers or not.
The world’s changing – and that’s a good thing.
We just need to make sure the future of work doesn’t forget why we work.
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