NEWS
BRIEFING
Keep up to date with the latest news surrounding the role of the EA
Do you plan to stay home to cut commuting costs ?
A survey of 1,000 Australian workers conducted by digital workplace platform Citrix Systems , Inc . has revealed that more than half are not returning to the office due to the rising cost of commuting – although things might change in winter because of high heating bills .
By working at home just one day a week , Australians are set to save $ 394 in public transport costs over a year , according to the Productivity Commission . As such , 54 % of office workers say they ’ ll stay parked at home – and close to half of their counterparts around the world say they will do the same .
Nearly seven in 10 Australians ( 68 %) believe their employers should help them offset the costs of travelling to the office when they choose to by , either increasing their salaries or providing a fuel allowance . This aligns with expectations around the world :
w Mexico : 87 % w Brazil : 87 % w France : 84 % w Colombia : 84 % w Germany : 77 % w United States : 74 % w Australia : 68 % w Netherlands : 65 % w United Kingdom : 65 %
However , in winter this may change
– 16 % of Australians said they would work in the office more often during winter months to reduce the costs of heating their homes if higher prices persist . The good news ? Employers that embrace flexible work models , technology and policies can accommodate these changes and keep their people and businesses performing at their best .
“ The key to keeping employees engaged and productive lies in creating work-from-anywhere experiences that are seamless , fuel connection and collaboration , and empower people to do their best work , regardless of their location ,” explains Martin Creighan , managing director at Citrix . S
EAs , meet your machine mates
Leading artificial intelligence ( AI ) expert Dr Catriona Wallace predicts AI-powered ‘ robot ’ colleagues will be a key part of business teams by 2030 , helping to combat skills shortages , as Australia undergoes a significant postpandemic digital transformation : “ Over the next decade , AI will become even more wide-spread in life and work ; in fact , we will interact with it hundreds of times a day , including when we ’ re sleeping ,” she explains .
Dr Wallace recently partnered with digital workflow company ServiceNow to explore why AI will be at the heart of nearly everything we do within the next 10 years and revealed four key societal trends :
The emergence of ‘ machine mates ’ AI will move from tools to teammates with widespread virtual assistants helping people complete everyday work .
Digital employees will be considered intelligent , valuable co-workers and by 2025 , machines will spend more time completing work than humans .
The rise of hyper-personalisation for both employees and customers The worker of 2030 will prioritise selfcare , take ‘ me time ’ more frequently and have a side hustle that they openly discuss with their employer . Bosses will be expected to know their staff better , appreciate them more and help them find balance – and they ’ ll use AI to do it .
Ethical considerations will drive AI-adoption AI ethics will move from an academic discussion to business strategy . Employees and customers will choose to work with brands that demonstrate , not just talk about , ethics , accessibility and fairness .
Issues diversity will redefine team success Employers will embrace a ‘ divided we stand , united we work ’ mentality . ‘ Agree to disagree ’ will become the norm for societal issues like vaccinations , climate change , pandemics and technology . Managers will need to focus on finding value in divergent perspectives . S
Summer Issue 2023 | Executive PA 15