OFF THE CLOCK AND UP TO NO GOOD: WHAT AUSSIES ARE REALLY DOING WHILE WFH

If employees want hybrid work to stick around, they’ll need to prove they can stay focused on the job

Turns out working from home isn’t all spreadsheets, Slack chats and desk lunches. According to new research from Finder, many Australians are treating their home office like a multi-purpose playground, and a surprising number are getting up to far more than just ticking off KPIs.

If you’ve ever wondered what your colleagues are actually doing with their cameras off, buckle up. It’s spicier than an HR onboarding manual would like.

The double life of the WFH workforce

Finder surveyed 1,004 Aussies and discovered that 39 per cent have done something “controversial” during official work hours.

And yes, controversial includes everything from folding laundry to folding themselves into bed with their partner.

Nearly one in ten admit to getting intimate while on the clock, proving that the great Australian tradition of multitasking is alive and well. Among Gen Y, that jumps to a very enthusiastic 16 per cent.

But the naughtiness doesn’t stop there. The modern home office has become a hub of productivity and procrastination in equal measure:

• Twenty per cent are smashing chores between emails.

• Eighteen per cent are watching movies, because why not?

• Thirteen per cent are treating themselves to extended naps.

• Twelve per cent are juggling childcare.

• Nine per cent are quietly applying for new jobs.

• Seven per cent sneak out for surfing, golf, or a hobby.

• Six per cent are literally working a second job.

With that lineup, it’s a wonder project timelines are being met at all.

That sense of “home mode" can hijack “work mode"

Why employers are suddenly nostalgic for the office

Taylor Blackburn, a personal finance expert at Finder, says the findings highlight why some employers are eager to have staff back under fluorescent lighting.

“Intimate time at home would not be what most employers mean when they allow flexible work for increased productivity.

“Hybrid and remote working has had a significant impact on work-life balance, but some are taking that to extremes.

“Most people use flexible work to balance family and life admin, but a surprising number are pushing the boundaries of what’s acceptable during office hours.”

And Blackburn isn’t sugar-coating the consequences.

“Remote work is meant to boost efficiency and well-being, but for a slice of the workforce, it’s blurring the lines between personal and paid time.

“If employees want hybrid work to stick around, they’ll need to prove they can stay focused on the

job, not on side hustles, surfboards, or sex.

“Workers are entitled to a lunch break, so it's best to turn the laptop off and attend to any non-work activities during that time.”

Translation: If people want to keep hybrid work, maybe keep your pants on until after 5.

The psychology behind the blur

Remote work was designed to give people flexibility, and it delivered, sometimes too well. When your office is five steps from your couch, and your couch is two steps from temptation, the boundaries dissolve fast.

WFH also puts people in their most relaxed environment. That sense of “home mode" can hijack “work mode,” nudging people into behaviours they’d never attempt in a corporate cubicle.

No one is microwaving popcorn for a movie marathon in a CBD high-rise... but at home? Easy.

Then there’s the rise of life admin creep.

It starts with unloading the dishwasher and ends with a full-blown spring clean at 11.15 am during a budget meeting.

WFH isn’t going anywhere

Despite the hijinks, remote work remains one of the most valued perks in the modern workplace. But if Aussies want to keep that sweet, sweet flexibility, they’ll need to show bosses they can stay focused without needing an in-office babysitter.

If your desk is next to your bed, your productivity will fall asleep faster than you do. Set a workspace, set start and finish times, and stop blending your worlds like a chaotic smoothie.

Your lunch break is the perfect time to run errands, do kid stuff, fold laundry, or take a walk. If you try to do it all during work hours, it adds up, and not in your favour.