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A majority of the profession is erring on the side of caution when it comes to returning to the office, even as some states are poised to reopen as soon as next week.
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Accountants cautious over office return as states reopen
08 October 2021
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The results of a new poll conducted by CPA Australia that attracted responses from 2,715 people across the profession showed that 11 per cent of respondents would prefer to continue to work from home, while 45 per cent would prefer to work from the office for a maximum of two days a week.
Meanwhile, 27 per cent of respondents said they’d opt for three-to-four days a week in the office, if afforded the choice, and the remaining 17 per cent welcomed a full-time return to the workplace.
Each of the eastern states is poised for a full economic reopening by year’s end, with NSW expected to be first off the block next Monday (11 October), after it reached its first road map milestone of 70 per cent vaccination on Thursday (7 October).
Even still, confusion persists, after newly appointed NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet announced yet another raft of changes to the state’s reopening plan on Thursday (7 October), which will afford the state higher caps on indoor and outdoor gatherings, and an expedited return to school.
Jane Rennie, general manager of external affairs at CPA Australia, said many questions remain unanswered, for both businesses and their staff.
“Uncertainty is unsettling and people are tired of disruption,” Dr Rennie said. “So, it’s not entirely unexpected that many said they intend to work mostly from home. That may change in the new year when things settle down and there’s more clarity around attending the office.”
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Dr Rennie said ever-changing government health advice only intensifies confusion, as employers are unable to manage staff expectations.
“Across Australia, there’s no ‘one size fits all’ rulebook for working from the office. The situation is changing weekly and sometimes even daily,” she said. “This creates complexity for employers and means they can’t yet give their employees a clear picture of what to expect.”
But for some businesses, a full-scale return mightn’t immediately be on the cards – and accountants aren’t alone in wanting, or at least exploring, the idea of engaging in hybrid working arrangements.
Employers across a range of industries have signalled caution over imposing a full-time office return on staff.
Law firm Gilbert & Tobin’s chief operating officer, Sam Nickless, told the AFR last week that staff would be able to return to the office once 80 per cent of the over-16 population in NSW is fully vaccinated, but only if they want.
“As with last time and the experience after Melbourne’s lockdown, we are expecting that the number of people returning will be low initially and will grow as confidence builds,” Mr Nickless said.
Accenture geographic services lead Australia & New Zealand, Lisa Crennan, said that there was no expectation that their staff would return to offices by a specific date, either.
“We are ironing out the specific details around how we return to the office at the moment, including what this looks like for our people at various vaccination stages, and meeting all public health requirements,” she said.
But for businesses eager on expediting a return, establishing a COVID-safe plan has become crucial. Dr Rennie said the peak body is in the same boat as everyone else, and in the midst of ironing out a plan of its own, in step with public health advice.
“CPA Australia is in the same boat as most organisations in Australia. We’re currently working through a raft of government regulations, and employment and workplace issues,” Dr Rennie said.
“Our primary consideration is the welfare of our employees, members and others who engage with us.
“All accounting practices and sole practitioners should make sure they have a COVID–safe plan for their premises. This is a requirement right throughout Australia.”
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