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Working from home in Australia in 2020: Positives, negatives and the potential for future benefits to transport and society

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  • Beck, Matthew J.
  • Hensher, David A.

Abstract

The year 2020 has been marked by the most extraordinary event we have witnessed since World War II. While other health threats and geographical disasters have occurred, none have been on the global scale of COVID-19. Although many countries have experienced more than one wave of the pandemic throughout 2020, Australia has been largely able to contain the impact of the virus. While there are many reasons for this, a key component of reducing transmission has been restrictions on movement, and the widespread adoption of working from home (WFH) by those who can. In describing the experience Australian’s have had with working from home across 2020, via three waves of data collection, we find that WFH become a positive unintended consequence in contributing to the future management of the transport network, especially in larger metropolitan areas. Evidence suggests that support for WFH will be continuing in the form of a hybrid work model with more flexible working times and locations, linked to largely positive experiences of WFH during 2020, an improved wellbeing of employees, and no loss of productivity to the economy. We highlight potential future benefits of WFH to society, including significant implications for congestion and crowding, concluding that WFH is a formidable transport policy lever that must become embedded in the psyche of transport planners and decision makers so that we can gain some benefit from the pandemic.

Suggested Citation

  • Beck, Matthew J. & Hensher, David A., 2022. "Working from home in Australia in 2020: Positives, negatives and the potential for future benefits to transport and society," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 158(C), pages 271-284.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:transa:v:158:y:2022:i:c:p:271-284
    DOI: 10.1016/j.tra.2022.03.016
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    3. Hensher, David A. & Wei, Edward & Beck, Matthew J., 2023. "The impact of COVID-19 and working from home on the workspace retained at the main location office space and the future use of satellite offices," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 130(C), pages 184-195.
    4. Joseph Crawford, 2022. "Working from Home, Telework, and Psychological Wellbeing? A Systematic Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-16, September.
    5. Mohri, Seyed Sina & Nassir, Neema & Thompson, Russell G. & Lavieri, Patricia Sauri, 2024. "Public transportation-based crowd-shipping initiatives: Are users willing to participate? Why not?," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 182(C).
    6. Xi, Haoning & Li, Qin & Hensher, David A. & Nelson, John D. & Ho, Chinh, 2023. "Quantifying the impact of COVID-19 on travel behavior in different socio-economic segments," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 136(C), pages 98-112.

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