How Hybrid Work Boosts Mental Health: Surprising Gender Differences Revealed in Australian Study

A groundbreaking study analyzing over 16,000 Australians reveals how working from home impacts mental health differently for men and women, with hybrid arrangements emerging as the most beneficial approach.

Key Findings from the University of Melbourne Research

Researchers at the University of Melbourne analyzed 20 years of data from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey to understand how remote work shapes mental wellbeing. The study found significant improvements for people already living with mental health issues who worked from home, while those without existing concerns showed no notable change.

The mental health of Australian men was not significantly impacted by working from home, but their wellbeing improved by not having to travel to a workplace.

Gender Differences in Remote Work Benefits

Australian women with existing mental health issues experienced the most benefits when combining 50-75% of their hours working from home with a "partial office/on-site presence." According to researcher Jan Kabatek, "The biggest gains for women were found for work from home arrangements which involved the majority of days spent at home, but retaining at least one or two days of work from the office or on-site."

For Australian men, while mental health wasn't significantly impacted by remote work, their wellbeing improved through reduced daily commuting times. The HILDA Survey showed Australia's average daily commute dropped from 61 minutes in 2019 to 52 minutes in 2023.

The Power of Hybrid Work Arrangements

"The most important finding of the study is that of hybrid work," emphasized Kabatek. "You are retaining the connection to the firm and to your colleagues, you can talk in person, and you are retaining those social ties, but you also have this work-from-home aspect that is strong enough to make a difference."

Australian HR Institute CEO Sarah McCann-Bartlett says workers still prefer to work up to two days from home per week.

Sarah McCann-Bartlett, CEO of the Australian HR Institute, confirmed similar findings from her organization's research: "Over 40% said that they felt that hybrid working provided enhanced health and wellbeing benefits for employees. Both of those things have supported higher employee retention for employers and enhanced their ability to attract new candidates."

Current Remote Work Trends in Australia

Before 2019, about one in four Australians worked some hours from home. This increased to 38% during the pandemic, with more than one in three workers doing some remote work in 2023. The increase was most prevalent in capital cities.

In 2023:

• 65% of Australian workers did not work any hours from home
• 27% worked at least one full day at home
• Workers prefer 2-3 days per week from home in 2025

The Future of Remote Work in Australia

Kabatek noted that Australian workers continue pushing for flexible arrangements: "The fact that we are not seeing reversal in terms of people going back to the office reflects that there is a demand for these types of work arrangements."

He also emphasized: "I have not seen any credible evidence to suggest that working from home negatively impacts employees' productivity or the profitability of workplaces."

McCann-Bartlett added that 70% of employers surveyed don't expect changes to hybrid working conditions for at least two years, with many reporting that "hybrid working has supported productivity growth in their organizations."

With Australia's tight labor market, employers offering flexibility are in a better position to attract and retain talent, as employees highly value these arrangements.