All NSW public servants currently working from home will be required to return to the office as businesses continue to struggle in Sydney’s CBD.
Premier Chris Minns announced that anyone employed by the government who is still working from home will be required to return to the office starting Tuesday.
The announcement was made in a government memo sent to all departments on Monday.
CBD businesses have been struggling to break even since residents began working from home during the Covid pandemic.
The new rules From the Prime Minister’s department it was dictated that Civil servants are now expected to work from approved office spaces. Every day of the work week.
Limited flexibility will still be allowed in cases of work-sharing arrangements or compressed hours, but most workers will return to the office full-time.
The memo warned that existing work-from-home arrangements, which were introduced in 2019, ““should not be taken for granted or considered unlimited.”
“The more we share our work experience, the more united we are. This means being physically present in our organizations,” he continues.
New South Wales Premier Chris Minns has issued a government-wide memo stating that all public servants must return to the office from Tuesday.
The new rules stem from the difficulties faced by businesses in Sydney’s CBD in breaking even since people began working from home during the pandemic.
Civil servants wishing to work from home will now have to provide reasons why their hybrid arrangements are necessary, which will then require formal approval.
This approval will be reviewed periodically.
Public servants who want to work out of state will also need to obtain approval from the head of his department.
A follow-up email New South Wales Premier Simon Draper confirmed the workers’ situation. Office assistance will be required all week long.
“The New South Wales public sector is the largest workforce in the country,” he wrote.
‘All positions play a vital role in delivering services to the community and upholding good governance in New South Wales.’
myBusiness Sydney chief executive Paul Nicolaou welcomed the news.
“This is fantastic news and great leadership from the Prime Minister,” he said.
‘Employers are telling Business Sydney that we need to get serious about returning the CBD to its pre-Covid state.
“The city needs more foot traffic and therefore more workers to support the hundreds of businesses and companies that depend on them.”