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A shift among Australian employers is emerging, with more beginning to mandate five days in the office as they follow the lead of other businesses.
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5-day office mandate picking up steam in employers, Robert Half reveals
26 February 2025
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8 minute read
Research conducted by Robert Half has found that Australian employers are being influenced by other businesses’ return-to-office mandates, with employees being required to attend the office more frequently.
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It was found the return-to-office mandates being introduced across the country created a “domino effect” and had influenced 84 per cent of employers when they determined their own company’s office policies for 2025.
Sixty-three per cent of employers also reported a widespread increase in positive attitudes from employees towards working in the office more regularly.
Robert Half director Nicole Gorton said the survey consisted of 500 employers in Australia and showed 39 per cent of Australian employers mandated five days in the office, up from 36 per cent in 2024.
“We’re observing a fascinating domino effect in the return-to-office landscape this year, pressuring businesses to conform,” she said.
“Employers are back in the driver’s seat and dictate office attendance, knowing others are doing the same. As workers adjust back to the pre-pandemic way of working and observe similar mandates elsewhere, they are less reluctant to oppose these mandates in their current workplace.”
Out of the 84 per cent of employers influenced by the decisions and mandates of others, 34 per cent reported they were significantly influenced, while 49 per cent were only moderately influenced.
Geographically, it was found that Queensland employers were the most likely to be influenced by the trends among other businesses at 8 per cent, closely followed by NSW and Western Australian employers at 86 per cent.
Victorian employers were found less inclined to follow suit at 75 per cent, with 25 per cent having said that the policies implemented by other businesses had little to no influence on their own business decisions.
It was highlighted by the research that when asked, employers said the preferred number of office work days was five in both 2024 and 2025.
Gorton said with more employers mandating in-office attendance for a higher number of days, the average of mandated in-office workdays had risen from 3.43 days a week in 2024 to 3.64 days a week in 2025.
However, a significant portion was willing to allow their staff to work away from the office for part of the week despite favouring more days in the office than out of it.
In terms of employee sentiments, Victorian employees were found to be the least likely willing to work from the office on a more regular basis after having experienced a longer lock-down period during the pandemic.
Gorton said the change of year brought a more office-centric work environment across Australia.
“While hybrid work models remain prevalent, the noticeable increase in the number of employers mandating a return to the office as well as increase in the number of days that staff are required to attend is likely influenced by an improvement in staff attitudes and observed mandated days in other businesses,” she said.
“As employers adapt their work arrangements to meet the evolving needs of their business and their workforce, they are doing so while emphasising in-person collaboration for employee morale, productivity and client service. However, finding the balance between in-office needs and employee wellbeing is instrumental to business success.”
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