Working away from the office
The Australian Public Service Employee Census includes the question ‘Do you currently access any of the following working arrangements?’
Respondents who indicated they accessed working away from the office/working from home were asked the supplementary question ‘During your usual working week, how often do you work away from the office/work from home?’
Data from these questions provides information about the proportions of employees who engage in ‘Working away from the office’.
Figures AB 52 to AB 57 and tables AB 52 to AB 57 report on the proportions of employees who engage in ‘Working away from the office’ for agencies, by agency size, for APS respondents. Due to small numbers, those who did not disclose their arrangement are excluded from figures AB 52 to AB 57.
Figure AB 52: Percentage of employees working away from the office, by agency size
Source: APS Employee Census
Table AB 52: Percentage of employees working away from the office, by agency size
| Agency | % of respondents working away from the office | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| None of the time | Only on an irregular basis | Some of the time as a regular arrangement | All of the time | Did not disclose their arrangement | |
| Overall APS | 32 | 9 | 52 | 7 | < 0.5 |
| Extra-large (10,000+ employees) | 38 | 8 | 49 | 5 | < 0.5 |
| Large (1,001 to 10,000 employees) | 26 | 9 | 56 | 9 | < 0.5 |
| Medium (251 to 1,000 employees) | 29 | 11 | 51 | 10 | < 0.5 |
| Small (101 to 250 employees) | 26 | 13 | 52 | 8 | < 0.5 |
| Extra-small (20 to 100 employees) | 27 | 15 | 51 | 7 | < 0.5 |
Source: APS Employee Census
Figure AB 53: Percentage of employees working away from the office, for extra-large agencies (10,000+ employees)
Source: APS Employee Census
Note: The National Disability Insurance Agency was a large agency in 2024.
Table AB 53: Percentage of employees working away from the office, for extra-large agencies (10,000+ employees)
| Agency | % of respondents working away from the office | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| None of the time | Only on an irregular basis | Some of the time as a regular arrangement | All of the time | Did not disclose their arrangement | |
| Extra-large agencies | 38 | 8 | 49 | 5 | < 0.5 |
| Australian Taxation Office | 15 | 7 | 74 | 4 | < 0.5 |
| Defence | 38 | 17 | 40 | 5 | < 0.5 |
| Home Affairs | 39 | 7 | 50 | 4 | < 0.5 |
| National Disability Insurance Agency | 21 | 5 | 55 | 19 | < 0.5 |
| Services Australia | 54 | 5 | 38 | 2 | < 0.5 |
Source: APS Employee Census
Note: The National Disability Insurance Agency was a large agency in 2024.
Figure AB 54: Percentage of employees working away from the office, for large agencies (1,001 to 10,000 employees)
Source: APS Employee Census
Note: The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission was a medium agency in 2024. Health and Aged Care is now Health, Disability and Ageing. Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts is now Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts.
Table AB 54: Percentage of employees working away from the office, for large agencies (1,001 to 10,000 employees)
| Agency | % of respondents working away from the office | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| None of the time | Only on an irregular basis | Some of the time as a regular arrangement | All of the time | Did not disclose their arrangement | |
Large agencies |
26 |
9 |
56 |
9 |
< 0.5 |
Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission |
18 |
4 |
59 |
20 |
< 0.5 |
Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry |
29 |
7 |
54 |
10 |
< 0.5 |
Attorney-General's |
28 |
15 |
49 |
8 |
< 0.5 |
Australian Bureau of Statistics |
12 |
6 |
74 |
8 |
< 0.5 |
Australian Competition and Consumer Commission |
17 |
6 |
69 |
7 |
< 0.5 |
Australian Trade and Investment Commission |
31 |
14 |
51 |
4 |
< 0.5 |
Bureau of Meteorology |
20 |
17 |
53 |
10 |
< 0.5 |
Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water |
21 |
11 |
51 |
17 |
< 0.5 |
Education |
24 |
8 |
63 |
5 |
< 0.5 |
Employment and Workplace Relations |
20 |
7 |
66 |
7 |
< 0.5 |
Federal Court of Australia |
34 |
18 |
44 |
3 |
< 0.5 |
Finance |
32 |
10 |
53 |
4 |
< 0.5 |
Foreign Affairs and Trade |
72 |
8 |
16 |
5 |
< 0.5 |
Health and Aged Care |
15 |
5 |
70 |
9 |
< 0.5 |
Industry, Science and Resources |
25 |
10 |
53 |
11 |
< 0.5 |
Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts |
21 |
16 |
57 |
6 |
< 0.5 |
IP Australia |
14 |
7 |
37 |
42 |
< 0.5 |
National Indigenous Australians Agency |
27 |
11 |
52 |
10 |
< 0.5 |
Prime Minister and Cabinet |
33 |
19 |
41 |
7 |
0 |
Social Services |
24 |
7 |
64 |
5 |
< 0.5 |
Treasury |
28 |
14 |
55 |
3 |
< 0.5 |
Veterans' Affairs |
25 |
6 |
65 |
4 |
< 0.5 |
Source: APS Employee Census
Note: The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission was a medium agency in 2024. Health and Aged Care is now Health, Disability and Ageing. Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts is now Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts.
Figure AB 55: Percentage of employees working away from the office, for medium agencies (251 to 1,000 employees)
Source: APS Employee Census
Note: The Administrative Review Tribunal was called the Administrative Appeals Tribunal in 2024. The National Film and Sound Archive of Australia, the National Health and Medical Research Council, and the National Museum of Australia were small agencies in 2024.
Table AB 55: Percentage of employees working away from the office, for medium agencies (251 to 1,000 employees)
| Agency | of respondents working away from the office | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| None of the time | Only on an irregular basis | Some of the time as a regular arrangement | All of the time | Did not disclose their arrangement | |
| Medium agencies | 29 | 11 | 51 | 10 | < 0.5 |
| Aboriginal Hostels Limited | 72 | 5 | 20 | 2 | 0 |
| Administrative Review Tribunal | 26 | 6 | 59 | 9 | < 0.5 |
| Australian Communications and Media Authority | 13 | 6 | 75 | 6 | 0 |
| Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission | 42 | 18 | 38 | 2 | 0 |
| Australian Digital Health Agency | 12 | 5 | 60 | 22 | 1 |
| Australian Electoral Commission | 52 | 17 | 24 | 7 | < 0.5 |
| Australian Financial Security Authority | 17 | 6 | 58 | 18 | 1 |
| Australian Institute of Health and Welfare | 18 | 8 | 56 | 18 | < 0.5 |
| Australian National Audit Office | 26 | 21 | 46 | 7 | < 0.5 |
| Australian Public Service Commission | 16 | 10 | 47 | 26 | < 0.5 |
| Australian Submarine Agency | 44 | 22 | 31 | 3 | 0 |
| Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre | 17 | 5 | 74 | 4 | 0 |
| Australian War Memorial | 60 | 22 | 18 | 0 | 0 |
| Clean Energy Regulator | 18 | 8 | 56 | 18 | 0 |
| Comcare | 17 | 5 | 71 | 7 | < 0.5 |
| Defence Housing Australia | 23 | 9 | 61 | 8 | < 0.5 |
| Digital Transformation Agency | 20 | 6 | 42 | 31 | 0 |
| Fair Work Commission | 18 | 5 | 61 | 16 | 0 |
| Fair Work Ombudsman | 15 | 4 | 69 | 12 | < 0.5 |
| Future Fund Management Agency | 26 | 9 | 65 | 0 | 0 |
| Geoscience Australia | 21 | 14 | 53 | 12 | < 0.5 |
| Murray-Darling Basin Authority | 16 | 11 | 55 | 18 | 0 |
| National Archives of Australia | 33 | 25 | 41 | 1 | < 0.5 |
| National Disability Insurance Scheme Quality and Safeguards Commission | 17 | 5 | 65 | 12 | < 0.5 |
| National Emergency Management Agency | 26 | 14 | 54 | 5 | 0 |
| National Film and Sound Archive of Australia | 54 | 13 | 31 | 2 | 0 |
| National Health and Medical Research Council | 12 | 4 | 67 | 16 | 1 |
| National Library of Australia | 49 | 12 | 37 | 2 | 0 |
| National Museum of Australia | 51 | 16 | 30 | 1 | 1 |
| Office of the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions | 18 | 15 | 66 | 1 | 0 |
| Office of the Commonwealth Ombudsman | 16 | 5 | 72 | 8 | 0 |
| Sport Integrity Australia | 51 | 8 | 27 | 14 | 0 |
Source: APS Employee Census
Note: The Administrative Review Tribunal was called the Administrative Appeals Tribunal in 2024. The National Film and Sound Archive of Australia, the National Health and Medical Research Council, and the National Museum of Australia were small agencies in 2024.
Figure AB 56: Percentage of employees working away from the office, for small agencies (101 to 250 employees)
Source: APS Employee Census
Note: The Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care and the Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House were extra-small agencies in 2024. The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority was a medium agency in 2024. The Net Zero Economy Authority was not an APS agency in 2024.
Table AB 56: Percentage of employees working away from the office, for small agencies (101 to 250 employees)
| Agency | % of respondents working away from the office | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| None of the time | Only on an irregular basis | Some of the time as a regular arrangement | All of the time | Did not disclose their arrangement | |
| Small agencies | 26 | 13 | 52 | 8 | < 0.5 |
| Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care | 24 | 7 | 68 | 2 | 0 |
| Australian Fisheries Management Authority | 41 | 14 | 38 | 6 | 1 |
| Australian Human Rights Commission | 8 | 8 | 64 | 20 | 0 |
| Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies | 53 | 11 | 31 | 5 | 1 |
| Australian Institute of Family Studies | 9 | 1 | 76 | 14 | 0 |
| Australian National Maritime Museum | 45 | 22 | 30 | 3 | 0 |
| Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority | 20 | 9 | 58 | 13 | 0 |
| Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency | 21 | 29 | 45 | 5 | 0 |
| Australian Research Council | 17 | 9 | 65 | 8 | 1 |
| Australian Skills Quality Authority | 13 | 6 | 74 | 7 | 0 |
| Australian Transport Safety Bureau | 15 | 24 | 58 | 3 | 0 |
| Food Standards Australia New Zealand | 18 | 6 | 57 | 17 | 2 |
| Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority | 22 | 20 | 56 | 2 | 0 |
| Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House | 57 | 15 | 28 | 0 | 0 |
| National Anti-Corruption Commission | 19 | 10 | 68 | 3 | 0 |
| National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority | 30 | 20 | 50 | 1 | 0 |
| Net Zero Economy Authority | 17 | 14 | 64 | 4 | 1 |
| Office of Parliamentary Counsel | 33 | 19 | 41 | 7 | 0 |
| Office of the Australian Information Commissioner | 15 | 6 | 23 | 57 | 0 |
| Productivity Commission | 19 | 10 | 66 | 5 | 0 |
| Royal Australian Mint | 68 | 17 | 13 | 1 | 0 |
| Safe Work Australia | 19 | 14 | 59 | 7 | 0 |
| Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency | 9 | 4 | 54 | 33 | 0 |
| Torres Strait Regional Authority | 63 | 30 | 8 | 0 | 0 |
Source: APS Employee Census
Note: The Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care and the Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House were extra-small agencies in 2024. The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority was a medium agency in 2024. The Net Zero Economy Authority was not an APS agency in 2024.
Figure AB 57: Percentage of employees working away from the office, for extra-small agencies (20 to 100 employees)
Source: APS Employee Census
Note: The Australian Law Reform Commission and Screen Australia did not have reportable results in 2024. The High Speed Rail Authority did not participate in the APS Employee Census in 2024. The Office of the Special Investigator was a small agency in 2024.
Table AB 57: Percentage of employees working away from the office, for extra-small agencies (20 to 100 employees)
| Agency | % of respondents working away from the office | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| None of the time | Only on an irregular basis | Some of the time as a regular arrangement | All of the time | Did not disclose their arrangement | |
| Extra-small agencies | 27 | 15 | 51 | 7 | < 0.5 |
| Asbestos and Silica Safety and Eradication Agency | 11 | 16 | 63 | 11 | 0 |
| Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research | 38 | 20 | 42 | 0 | 0 |
| Australian Law Reform Commission | 31 | 15 | 46 | 8 | 0 |
| Australian Office of Financial Management | 16 | 18 | 61 | 5 | 0 |
| Cancer Australia | 23 | 7 | 61 | 7 | 1 |
| Climate Change Authority | 22 | 18 | 46 | 14 | 0 |
| Commonwealth Grants Commission | 16 | 19 | 55 | 10 | 0 |
| High Speed Rail Authority | 10 | 24 | 67 | 0 | 0 |
| Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority | 48 | 2 | 48 | 2 | 0 |
| Inspector-General of Taxation and Taxation Ombudsman | 11 | 7 | 64 | 18 | 0 |
| National Blood Authority | 16 | 11 | 69 | 4 | 0 |
| National Capital Authority | 35 | 20 | 41 | 4 | 0 |
| National Health Funding Body | 26 | 32 | 39 | 3 | 0 |
| National Portrait Gallery | 60 | 17 | 22 | 2 | 0 |
| Office of the Inspector-General of Aged Care | 20 | 0 | 65 | 15 | 0 |
| Office of the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security | 62 | 17 | 17 | 5 | 0 |
| Office of the Special Investigator | 31 | 44 | 25 | 0 | 0 |
| Organ and Tissue Authority | 13 | 23 | 65 | 0 | 0 |
| Parliamentary Workplace Support Service | 23 | 9 | 68 | 0 | 0 |
| Professional Services Review | 30 | 18 | 23 | 30 | 0 |
| Screen Australia | 6 | 13 | 75 | 6 | 0 |
| Workplace Gender Equality Agency | 17 | 5 | 62 | 14 | 2 |
Source: APS Employee Census
Note: The Australian Law Reform Commission and Screen Australia did not have reportable results in 2024. The High Speed Rail Authority did not participate in the APS Employee Census in 2024. The Office of the Special Investigator was a small agency in 2024.