Home stretch: 1 in 3 Aussies would move if they could work from anywhere
As millions of Australian workers stretch into their fourth month of working from home, many have a relocation on their minds, according to new research by Finder.
A nationally representative survey of 678 Australian workers revealed that 33%, equivalent to 4.3 million adults, would move homes if their employer announced that workers no longer needed to be onsite.
Sarah Megginson, home loans expert at Finder, said millions of Australians are keen to make their out-of-office status permanent.
"Where people live has typically determined their place of employment, but that's changing.
"Many Aussies are well adjusted to their new work-from-home routine and are allowing themselves to think outside the box now that remote working is mainstream.
"The once longed-for 'tree change' and 'sea change' is becoming a reality for those who are re-evaluating where they want to call home," Megginson said.
The research shows almost 1 in 4 Australians (23%) would move somewhere else within Australia if they were allowed to work remotely forever.
1 in 10 (10%) would move overseas if they were allowed to work remotely full-time.
NSW would see the largest exodus if permanent remote working became available, with a staggering 40% of residents admitting they would move. Those in NSW were followed closely by Victorians (37%).
"Not surprisingly, the 2 states hit hardest by lockdowns are the ones questioning where they call home.
"Plenty of workers are embracing the extra hours gained with the absence of commuting to work, and wondering what else they can do with that valuable time.
"The silver lining to this phenomenon is that regional areas are generally more affordable, so people could be saving money on mortgages and rent at the same time as getting a better work/life balance," Megginson said.
Finder's research shows almost half of Australians (46%) would not choose to move if their employer didn't insist on a return to work, while 14% say they can't perform their job at home.
A further 8% of people report that they are already allowed to work from anywhere.
Figures show Australia's regional areas have had their largest influx of people since the Australian Bureau of Statistics started measuring internal migration in 2001.
| If your employer suddenly allowed you to "work from anywhere", would this trigger you to move? | |
|---|---|
| Yes, I would move somewhere else within Australia | 23% |
| Yes, I would move internationally | 10% |
| My work can't be done remotely | 14% |
| I'm already allowed to work from anywhere | 8% |
| No | 46% |
| Source: Finder survey of 678 workers in September 2021 |
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