Cutting the Commute: Why Hybrid Work Works for Aussies

Home & Lifestyle Blog | MATE | 4 June 2025

A Warm And Inviting Sideon Image Of A Woman working

First, we’ve gotta talk about the big 19 (COVID-19), when working from home was a necessity rather than a choice. Now that the dust has settled, it’s been hard for employers to wrangle workers back into the office, at least 5 days a week, for good.

In fact, 44% of employers now ask staff to come in between 3 and 5 days a week. That’s a big shift from the full-time office grind we used to have, and it’s giving people more control over how and where they work. It also means having a solid internet connection at home is just as important as your morning coffee to keep your Microsoft Teams icon flashing green.

Time and Money: The Cost of Commuting

Have you ever sat down and really thought about the money and time that goes into your daily commute? It adds up, once you do. Even an hour one-way is a pretty significant length of time. Before you know it, it can creep up to 10 if you’re heading in every workday.

According to The Real Insurance Australian Commute Report, the average Aussie now spends:

3–5 hours a week commuting
Around $20 a day on their commute, or $4,003 a year

What’s more, 36% of people say the cost of commuting has a significant impact on their household budget. That’s a pretty steep price for face-to-face time, especially when remote work is often just as productive. Employers are even saying they think their workers are more productive when they’re working in a hybrid environment.

What Workers Really Want

It’s not just about ditching the commute. Aussies want flexibility — and they’re voting with their feet. Deloitte’s 2024 insights found that more and more people are actively looking for jobs that let them work from home at least part of the time.

When asked what matters most in a job these days, the top answers keep coming back to the same things:

Work/life balance — Time saved on travel goes straight into family, hobbies, or rest
Choice over their schedule — Being able to shape your week makes work feel more manageable
A healthy home setup — Comfort and productivity aren’t just nice-to-haves anymore, they’re expected

Hybrid work gives people a say in how they spend their time. And that kind of autonomy is hard to beat.

The Three Most Common Hybrid Setups

According to the AHRI Hybrid and Flexible Working Report 2025, these are the most common hybrid work models:

Model Type	In-office Requirement
Fixed hybrid (e.g. Mon–Wed in office)	Minimum 3 days per week
Flexible hybrid	No set requirement, but office attendance is encouraged
Light hybrid	Minimum 2 days per week

All 3 allow workers to cut back on time once devoted to their commute and help maximise their work/life balance, while keeping connected with their teams. Workers are happier and more productive, and employers are happy with their output and collaboration. Sounds like a pretty big win-win if you ask us!

What This Means for Employers

Having hybrid options for employees is about more than just keeping them happy. It can have some pretty lucrative benefits for businesses, too, such as:

Boosting retention — People are more likely to stay with employers who offer choice
Cutting costs — Less demand for desk space and bigger offices, parking, and overheads
Keeping teams engaged — When employees feel trusted, they tend to give more back

Deciding what works best is between an employee and their employer. Compromises are a big part of the process, and there’s no ‘one size fits all’ solution. Some folks need more flexibility, while others prefer a rigid routine or being in the office all week long.

It’s about ensuring the business benefits just as much as the worker, even if that means they attend meetings for part of the day, run home to pick up the kids from school, and kick their feet up on the lounge with a laptop to wrap things up.

The One Thing Hybrid Workers Can’t Do Without

You can skip the train. You can skip the office. But you can’t skip a decent internet connection.

Hybrid work depends on being able to log in anywhere, anytime. Whether that’s running Zoom meetings, sharing files, or doing a bit of research, you’ll need an internet connection pretty much always. A dodgy one can undo all of those benefits and become a point of frustration for workers and managers alike.

Which is exactly why having a dependable, fast nbn service keeps your processes streamlined and your productivity high.

How MATE Makes Hybrid Work, Work Better

At MATE, we’re all about giving Aussies what they actually need. That means fast, affordable nbn plans with no confusing extras, no lock-in contracts, and real, local support when you need a hand.

Here’s what makes our plans a great fit for hybrid workers:

Unlimited data. That means no data caps and no add-on data packs.
Flexible nbn plans and options for every household
No lock-in contracts — because life changes
Aussie-based customer support from real people, offering real help

Whether you’re working from your kitchen table, the study, or the sofa, we’ve got your connection covered. As hybrid work reshapes the daily grind, MATE helps Australians stay connected, without overpaying for it.