Is Your Remote Work Costing You a Pay Rise? How Australian Employers Are Quietly Rewarding Office Attendance

A recent survey by Robert Half reveals a significant shift in Australian workplaces, where office attendance is increasingly tied to financial rewards and career advancement. This trend highlights how employers are using a mix of incentives to encourage more in-person work, even as hybrid models remain prevalent.

Key Findings on Pay and Bonuses

According to the survey of 500 hiring managers, 68% of organisations have adjusted salaries over the past two years based on how often employees attend the office. A slightly higher 69% reported changing bonus structures to reflect in-office presence. This suggests that physical visibility is becoming a key factor in compensation decisions, with employers leveraging both financial incentives and expectations to bring staff back more regularly.

Measures to Encourage Office Return

Nearly all respondents (96%) said their organisations now require more frequent office attendance than two years ago, with 97% introducing measures to make this return easier or more attractive. The most common steps include:

• Higher bonuses or allowances (cited by 69% of employers)
• Extra pay (68%)
• Flexible working hours (33%)
• Wellness programmes or mental health support (33%)
• Team-building or social events (32%)

Other initiatives focus on enhancing the office environment, such as increasing leadership visibility, offering free or subsidised meals, upgrading facilities, and adding amenities like gyms or childcare. A smaller group mentioned clearer career progression opportunities for in-office staff, commuter subsidies, and travel allowances.

The Role of Leadership Proximity

The survey also explored how proximity to senior decision-makers affects advancement. 77% of employers said being physically closer to leadership positively influences both compensation and career progression, while 19% saw no noticeable effect. This points to a divide in how organisations value visibility and underscores the challenge for managers in ensuring fairness between in-office and remote employees.

Clinton Marks, director at Robert Half, cautions against interpreting these findings as evidence of a formal, uniform pay policy. He notes, "While some employers say office attendance is influencing salary and bonus decisions, this is unlikely to reflect a formal or consistently applied policy. In practice, it is more likely to show up in subtle ways, where visibility, access to leadership, and perceived contribution shape how people are rewarded and progressed."

Broader Implications for Remote Work

Marks emphasises the risk of decisions being influenced by proximity rather than measured performance, stating, "The real risk for organisations is that these decisions become influenced by proximity rather than measured performance. What the findings point to is an emerging perception that time spent in the office can influence how contribution is judged, rather than a clear or formal rule being applied across organisations."

The research, based on an online survey in October 2025 across finance, accounting, IT, technology, and human resources sectors, indicates this trend is not limited to specific industries. It reflects a broader employer view that visibility is quietly becoming a form of currency in today's workplace, potentially shaping access to opportunities even where flexible work policies exist.

Marks concludes, "Visibility is quietly becoming a form of currency in today's workplace. While proximity to leadership can accelerate career progression, it also creates a challenge for organisations to ensure that recognition and opportunity are not unintentionally skewed toward those who are simply more present. The focus needs to shift toward designing systems where contribution is measured consistently, regardless of where the work is done."