Nearly 20 percent of employed adults in New Zealand work mostly from home, according to the latest census - up nearly 60 percent on results from 2018. Wellington and Auckland had the biggest increase in remote workers, both regions more than doubling. The data was made public by Statistics New Zealand this month, just a week after Public Service Minister Nicola Willis directed ministry bosses to tighten up on working from home .
"Updated guidance for the public service will make clear that working from home is not an entitlement and must be agreed and monitored," she said in a statement. Struggling business owners in the capital and Auckland CBD have blamed the post-pandemic increase in remote work for reduced foot traffic and revenue. The data Since 2013, the census has asked people: "In [your main job], did you mostly work at home.
.. or work away from home?" In 2023, 17.
7 percent of employed, adult (aged 15 and older) respondents worked mostly from home - up from 11.9 percent in 2018 and 8.5 percent in 2013.
In the Wellington region 19 percent worked mostly from home in 2023, up from 9 percent in 2018 and 6.4 in 2013. The Auckland region had similar numbers: 18.
2 percent in 2023, 8.7 in 2018 and 7.1 in 2013.
Overall, the Tasman region had the highest proportion of people working from home in 2023 (20.8 percent), followed by Northland (20.7 percent) and the West Coast (19.
3 percent). Post-pandemic working habits The Covid-19 pandemic accelerated existing trends in remote wor.
