24

Mar 2022

Record High Gas Prices Impact Return-To-Office Strategies

By: Odyssey General, Outsourcing
Tags: Post-COVID, Remote working, work from home

Even after work-from-home COVID restrictions have ended, workers refuse to return to the office due to the rising costs of gas.

In a recent study conducted by the Finance Sector Union on WFH, 75% of members showed great concern over the commuting expense if they had to return to work.

With the Ukraine-Russia conflict, gas prices have becoming so expensive. The price reached an average of $2.20 per litre, and some experts predict it to rise to $2.50 per litre. According to the Australian, it is estimated that the average Australian household will spend an additional $1,100 for gas this year.

That said, commuting costs easily surpassed workers’ concerns over catching COVID-19 (69%), physical and mental health (60%), and disruption of family and caring responsibilities (57%) if they had to return to the office.

Understandably, the WFH trend is reinforced. Many believe that workers should not be forced to bear the additional cost of going to work especially when their jobs can be done from home.

At this point, wide-scale return to office is unlikely to occur any time soon. Firms, especially accounting firms, should invest more in their digital workplace and accept that staff can work from anywhere. Only then will they be able to thrive and stay competitive.

If you’d like to talk more about how Odyssey can assist your firm, drop us a line.


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