Business groups push back on calls for more working from home as way to conserve petrol

Business groups are pushing back on suggestions that employees should be encouraged to work from home, saying fears of an energy shortage did not present the same situation as the COVID era.

International Energy Agency advice to encourage workers to stay home to reduce fuel use has been countered with suggestions to use public transport where possible instead, as business works to avoid major cities falling back into widespread disruption that is still being felt.

The Financial Sector Union on Tuesday jumped on the advice and called on banks and financial institutions to suspend mandatory office attendance requirements.

It said staff should be allowed to determine their own flexible working arrangements, saying rising fuel costs were adding to already heightened cost-of-living pressures for its members.

“Workers are being hit from every angle — fuel, rent, mortgages and inflation, and employers have a clear opportunity to provide immediate relief,” said FSU national secretary Julia Angrisano.

“Cutting back unnecessary commuting is one of the simplest and most effective ways to reduce costs for workers right now.

“We know flexible work works. The sector delivered through the pandemic and continues to do so.

“This is about giving workers some control back at a time when so much feels uncertain.”

But business is starting to push back against such suggestions, including from Federal Energy Minister Chris Bowen, who on Sunday said working from home had become an “important part of Australian working life”, and people would “already be looking at their options to minimise their fuel use”.

“There are similarities to the COVID circumstances that we experienced some years ago, but there are also differences,” Business Council of Australia chief executive Bran Black said.

“The similarities are that we’ve got supply chain challenges. The differences are, you don’t need to socially isolate.”

Mr Black repeatedly called for a “sensible” approach to the situation, urging governments and business to work together.

“Wherever possible, if people can utilise public transport, that would be preferable,” he said on Monday.

“Of course, we understand there’ll be instances in which that can’t be done. But I do stress that if you can use public transport, and if you can continue to come into the office as you’d ordinarily do, using your ordinary flexible working arrangements, if you can come into the office and continue to support small businesses, we’d certainly urge that.”

Petrol prices have surged on the back of the war’s onset, nearing $3 a litre in Sydney and above $2.50/l on average in Perth as global oil markets are crunched thanks to shipping blockages in the Middle East.

Business groups have pointed to the fact that many workers do not have a choice to work from home and have downplayed suggestions that there should be a mandate or widespread encouragement to do so as a way to conserve fuel in the event that a shortage eventuates.

Panic-buying has been discouraged but petrol stations are still reporting that they are out of fuel.