Ms Joanne Mangan:

There is, obviously, a distinction between remote and flexible work. However, we would see them as being within the same sphere. Ultimately, it starts with trust and flexibility for employees. Out of that, businesses start looking at different models. The different models that come out of that are things like remote and flexible work. They are definitely in the same family, even though there are differences between them.

I keep talking about a remote culture because it is not just an employer telling me I can sit at home and work but I still have to continue my 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. day and everything else stays the same. There is a cultural shift that comes from remote working, and it is important to emphasise that. Within that culture is flexibility. Flexibility of choice, location and hours worked and also trust in terms of the work people are doing are important. It is not just a different style of working; it is a completely different approach to work.

That is where the flexibility in terms of flexible hours, to which the Senator referred, also comes in. For people who are working remotely, it does not work to be told they have to be at a desk at 9 a.m., a boss will check up on them to make sure they are there at 9 a.m., they have to be there at 5.30 p.m. and take a lunch break between 12 noon and 1 p.m. Some people do that and like that structure but, as I said earlier, some people may want to work around their caring or other responsibilities.

A lot of companies that have remote working options in place also offer other flexible options, such as different start and finish times or reduced hours. We have not seen a four-day week with any of the companies we have worked with, but it is something that is getting a little traction. Some companies, including our company, offer unlimited paid time off. That can sound completely crazy, but for some companies it is about the idea that people manage their work, do it when they need to do it and take their leisure time. Life takes over at the times when it suits the people. We would definitely see those things as interrelated.