Government Tightens Rules On Remote Work

• Government announces stricter rules for public servants working remotely, focusing on office presence.
• New guidelines emphasise that working from home requires monitoring and must be agreed upon.
• Businesses in Central Wellington may welcome the shift as they struggle with fewer customers.

The Government is cracking down on public servants working from home, aiming to increase office attendance. Public Service Minister Nicola Willis announced new guidance today, stressing that working remotely is "not an entitlement and must be agreed and monitored".

Willis explained that while working from home can benefit both employers and employees, over-reliance on it has potential drawbacks, particularly for Wellington's CBD retailers, restaurants, and cafés, which have struggled with fewer customers due to remote work.

The Public Service Commissioner will communicate the Government's expectations to public service chief executives, who are being asked to closely monitor and report on working-from-home arrangements. The revised guidelines reinforce that remote work must be agreed upon between employee and employer and should only be implemented if it doesn't compromise agency performance.

Data on remote working will now be collected centrally for comparison across agencies. This data will be made public next year to ensure transparency and accountability around remote working policies.