Yahoo Finance Major twist in NSW's 'out of touch' return to office order
Workers of Australia's biggest employer have been told they won't be able to work from home full time anymore.
There's been a major twist in the New South Wales government's order for public sector workers to head back to the office. A memo was distributed earlier this week to more than 450,000 employees informing them that they would be expected to promptly adjust their work-from-home arrangements.
However, the Public Service Association (PSA) has revealed that the government's order won't work for a very simple reason. It has sent a note out to members saying that "there will always be flexibility in the workplace".
"We will never return to pre-COVID work arrangements," the memo said.
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The PSA said it had been inundated with messages from NSW public sector workers who had questions about the sudden change in policy.
After speaking with several government departments, the PSA discovered something that could derail Premier Chris Minns' plan.
Are you affected by this? Email stew.perrie@yahooinc.com
"They have informed us that many office locations cannot accommodate all staff working on-site and that present arrangements will not change," the message said.
"PSA Industrial staff have been in contact with your Delegates. The more information we have from our members to take to the Government, the better. Therefore, we urge members to raise their concerns to Delegates."
The move has been praised by those hoping a return to offices would help revitalise dying CBDs where local businesses have suffered financial losses from a lack of patronage.
But public service workers hit back, describing the directive as "out of touch" given that many would not be able to afford to spend money while battling the still-rising cost of living.
“It’s a massive pay cut. These people won’t be eating out or spending anywhere because they just lost a few hours a day travel time and a hundred of dollars a week,” one wrote on an Australian Public Service subreddit.
“You can force staff into the city but you can’t force them to buy things, coffee, lunch etc. nor to ‘be vibrant’. Just be a bunch of sad sacks walking around,” added another.
Australians in other fields have also pointed out the trickle down effect it could have on them.
"You should guys should fight like hell for WFH. I am a tradie who works in Sydney and you working from home benefits me as well traffic-wise," a concerned commuter said.
"Instead of sitting in one hour plus traffic to and from work, I can be home in 40 minutes or less and enjoy more time in my afternoons."
Minns speaks out on uncle's rogue email
Phil Minns, the NSW Premier's uncle who works as the NSW Ministry of Health deputy secretary of people, culture and governance, sent an email to staff after his nephew's order that said working from home arrangements would still be possible.
“Please note the availability of flexible work arrangements are not changed by this circular,” the email said, according to The Daily Telegraph.
“In line with most contemporary workplaces, we recognise flexible arrangements help attract and retain talented people, particularly with career responsibilities and other commitments outside of work.”
He said NSW Health recognised the benefits of flexibility within the workforce and noted that the government’s “starting position” is that work was “principally” done in an approved workplace.
He said the mandate did not set out a “particular pattern of attendance”.
Speaking on 2GB, Premier Minns said his uncle may have been referring to work-from-home arrangements that were put in place years prior to the pandemic.
“All I can say is I think Phil is referring to the existing arrangements that have been negotiated between the union and government for decades, so that might be job sharing arrangements, early departure times to pick up the kids, but that’s not related to the COVID measures,” he said.
“The WFH COVID measures and the changes the government announced as of Monday apply to the provisions that were brought in during a health crisis, which obviously no longer apply.”
The Premier reiterated that the mandate was “government-wide”.
“Ninety-five per cent of the health workforce are actually in hospitals and can’t work from home, but across NSW this needs to be implemented for the public service in the state,” he said.
If you don't like it in NSW, you can always move to Victoria
The Victorian government wasted no time in trying to poach any NSW public sector worker who might be fed up with the new return-to-the-office mandate.
A spokesperson said there was plenty of work available if a public sector employee wanted to jump ship.
"We know that flexibility in the workplace helps more women stay in work and more women in the workforce is better for everyone," the spokesperson said.
"Any public servants from NSW who like flexibility in their workplace should consider moving to Victoria."
Queensland said its public sector workers were encouraged to go into the office if possible but said there would be no change to work-from-home rules anytime soon.
What are the changes being made for NSW public sector workers?
It's unclear how many days per week NSW workers will have to be in an approved office setting but the Premier's office insisted it wasn't "mandating a particular pattern of attendance" from the top down.
It's understood that individual agencies will develop their own approach to the return to office memo.
"Flexible working arrangements in the public sector have been widespread since 2019 and helped attract and retrain “talented people, particularly people with carer responsibilities and other commitments outside of work”, the directive acknowledges.
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The memo flagged the issue of public servants starting their careers who were not getting the benefits of learning from experienced colleagues face-to-face.
“These outcomes are supported by employees working principally at their approved workplace,” it said.
“The more our experience of work is shared, the more united we become. That means being physically present in our organisations.”
The memo also pointed to office space, paid for by the public purse, that is sitting empty.
“Effective use of public assets, including workplaces and offices, requires that they be utilised across the full working week," it said.
“This circular does not strictly prescribe patterns of attendance … However, the starting position is that work is principally done in an approved workplace in NSW.”
Public servants will have to establish a formal reason with their manager if they want to work from home for any length of time.
If that request is granted, the arrangement will be for a defined period and will be regularly reviewed.
- with NCA Newswire
