Source: InternetNZ
New research released by InternetNZ shows a huge number of working New Zealanders would consider moving elsewhere in Aotearoa for a better and more affordable lifestyle.
53% of those surveyed, whose job allows them to work from home, say they would move somewhere else in New Zealand if they were able to re-locate their current job. The most common reasons for wanting to move are for a better lifestyle, a more affordable lifestyle, and more affordable housing.
InternetNZ Chief Executive, Vivien Maidaborn, says remote working has changed our world already and poses questions about the shape and future for Internet based workplaces in Aotearoa.”The organisational learning about how to create the right balance between the personal benefit of working from home, and a strong team and organisational culture, has only just begun.
“It’s like the whole world is moving into an experiment towards how we can become fully remote and achieve great outcomes for individuals and their families, in balance with great organisational culture and productive and successful businesses.
“Organisations in Aotearoa do have the ability to utilise the Internet and become more and more flexible employers. As they make this shift, they would make it possible to employ the very best person for the job – no matter their location,” says Maidaborn.
As more people have been working from home over the last few years, it has changed the culture of many organisations. 15% of New Zealanders say the culture is worse and 30% say it’s better. The remainder had mixed perspectives, saying: the culture hasn’t changed; there’s been no change in the amount of people working from home; or they simply didn’t know.
The biggest barrier getting in the way of more New Zealanders working from home is employer rules. Half of New Zealanders report that a barrier for them working from home more often is that they are required to go into the office for a certain amount of time.
“While the infrastructure exists for people to work remotely, hard mahi needs to be done to ensure that employees are equipped with tools to make working from home full-time healthy, safe, and productive.
“Many organisations and their employees will be asking important questions in search of the right balance. Employees will be asking, ‘where and how do I like to work?’ And ‘what works for my family at this stage of my life?’
“Employers will be asking different questions like, ‘how do I balance different needs of different staff?’, ‘What helps the organisation to be sustainable and productive?’ And ‘what will it take to free up resources from offices so investment in travel, gatherings, and culture building is possible?’
“Wherever you are at in your workplace, it is clear the possibilities have never been so open to learning, experiments, and organisational exploration,” says Maidaborn.
