👉 Background: Picture this: it's 2019 and 'Thank U, Next' is playing on repeat on the radio... on your way into the office. In fact, back then, employees were in the office at least 80% of the week. But when COVID hit us for six, it meant working from home. And for many people, it meant not coming back to the office nearly as much. Right now in Australia, the average employee comes into the office less than 50% of the week.

👉 What happened: Now, companies like Origin Energy and Suncorp will look to cut employee bonuses if they don't comply with office attendance rules. For example, Origin will require office-based employees to spend at least 40% of their time in the office, or else... bonuses may get sliced.

👉 What else: So, it seems like cupcakes and work drinks just haven't been enough to bring back the workforce... despite the best efforts of HR teams.

What's the key learning?

💡Incentives to return to the office are slowly and subtly morphing into ultimatums. And employers are pivoting from dangling carrots to holding the sticks.

💡CommBank has pushed to get its workers back to the office for 50% of the week, and then was forced to battle against Union groups. So now, employers are looking at cutting bonuses for those employees who don't meet their employer's in-office expectations.

💡According to a recent survey from law firm Herbert Smith Freehills, it seems large Australian companies will look to differentiate pay between remote staff and in-office staff. In fact, already 37% of the execs surveyed reckon this will happen in the next three to five years.

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