Victoria\u2019s work-from-home law now starts in 2027, not this year. Damian Lepore of Logitech ANZ explains why that\u2019s not a reprieve.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Victoria\u2019s proposed work-from-home law has been pushed back almost a year, with new Premier Ben Carroll delaying its start date from 1 September 2026 to 1 July 2027. The move follows sustained pressure from business groups, who had campaigned for the legislation to be scrapped altogether.<\/p>\n
Damian Lepore, managing director at Logitech ANZ, says the delay shouldn\u2019t change how businesses think about hybrid work.<\/p>\n
\u201cVictoria\u2019s decision to push its work-from-home laws back to July 2027 does not change the wider trajectory around the topic, and employers should use this delay to further focus on how to make a successful transition.\u201d<\/p>\n
According to Lepore, hybrid arrangements are no longer tied to pandemic-era necessity, they\u2019ve become the standard operating model for much of the white-collar workforce, law or no law.<\/p>\n
\u201cHybrid working arrangements are now the expectation, not the exception, for Australian white-collar employees, they are not a COVID-era hangover. Regardless of legislative rubber-stamping, it is already the default operating model for many workers, and the bill would only formalise changes that are already well established.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rather than treating the delay as breathing room, Lepore frames it as an opportunity, particularly for organisations that have struggled to put hybrid policies into practice.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe changing of the timetable should not be viewed by business as a reprieve, but rather a planning window to figure out what productive hybrid work actually looks like in their organisation. This is undoubtedly a good position to be in for organisations that may have struggled to implement hybrid work policies.\u201d<\/p>\n
For many employers, Lepore says, the real challenge isn\u2019t whether to allow remote work but how to make it function well day to day.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s often the practicalities that can present headaches, how these businesses can ensure their employees remain productive when they\u2019re not in the office, and what they\u2019re working with when they do. This reflects the larger debate about work-from-home in general, which has moved from \u2018should we allow it\u2019 to \u2018how do we make it work well.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
That includes taking responsibility for an employee\u2019s home setup, Lepore says, even where legislation hasn\u2019t made it compulsory.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s no secret that the employee\u2019s personal workplace set-up has become an employer responsibility, regardless of legislation making it official. A lack of access to quality workplace peripherals isn\u2019t a flexibility issue, but a productivity and well-being problem. For companies looking to maintain business continuity, this is undoubtedly a concern that needs to be addressed before the new deadline.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lepore points to workspace ergonomics as one area where the payoff is measurable.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn my experience, organisations that invest properly in workspace ergonomics see reduced absenteeism, improved morale and measurable productivity gains. This holds true regardless of whether the employee works from home or in the office, and is something Victorian businesses should consider as legislative timelines change.\u201d<\/p>\n
For SME owners, the extra runway before the law takes effect is a chance to get hybrid arrangements right before they\u2019re mandatory, rather than a reason to leave the question until closer to 2027.<\/p>\n