Future of Work: The Movement into the Regions

How will working from home reshape Australia?

It’s clear that working from home arrangements are here to stay.

A PwC survey found 74% of respondents want a mix of face-to-face and remote working. Individuals are prioritising work-life balance, some enjoy rolling out of bed into their desk chair, and others love rocking their pyjama bottoms during meetings.

What does this mean for our once-bustling cities? With foot traffic down in major city central business districts, councils like the Melbourne City Council have been forking out cash schemes to entice visitors back to the city’s hospitality venues. These schemes can help shield businesses in the short run, but how about the bigger picture?

After being locked up for the good part of the past 3 years, people are looking for more space. With working from home arrangements, professionals are demanding more rooms for dedicated office and meeting spaces. Also considering the cut in commute time, there is even more incentive for people to move out into the suburbs and regions where houses are larger and more affordable.

As people move out towards the regions, there will be increased demand for housing, amenities and services. People will be getting their coffee fix at their local shopping strips and requiring services such as healthcare, broadband, water security and transport infrastructure. What will this mean for regional housing markets and will regional infrastructure grow fast enough to keep up with demand?

We also can’t ignore the effect that ‘urban sprawl’ has on regional areas. How can the preservation of native flora and fauna be assured during periods of accelerated infrastructure growth?

And how about brick and mortar businesses? Decreased demand in city locations may lower rental prices, giving them the incentive to stick around but they can also move to other central business district areas with cheaper rent and more foot traffic.

The clustering of businesses in central business districts in regional areas will help boost economic activity, but what about disconnected rural regions? With people moving to well-connected regions (for ease of transport) with good infrastructure, we could see heightened economic disparities between growing regional centres and disjointed rural towns.

We’re probably already hearing about friends or family who are ‘finally moving into the farm of their dreams’ or ‘escaping the concrete jungles’ for a quieter life. It’s happening and it affects our society more than we think.

Where will YOU be in a few years’ time?

I don’t even know where I’ll be in six months (probably still studying and in debt?), but I DO know that the world around me will be constantly changing, and it will affect how I work, how I spend my time and money, and whether I’ll still be able to get a burger from my favourite local joint or not.

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