It was supposed to give us more flexibility and freedom, but the long-anticipated working from home revolution has mostly meant people working longer hours for no pay - on top of a full week in the office.

Laptops, smart phones and faster internet services have laid the foundations for round-the-clock access to information and communication, allowing people to work from anywhere, at any time.

Dylan Nelson works from his South Windsor home taking customer calls for an internet service provider. Credit:Wolter Peeters

But that opportunity for greater flexibility has not been fully realised because cultural attitudes in many workplaces have not changed.



Workplace researchers have found that most bosses still believe a physical presence in the office is the best way to get the most out of their employees - despite indications that working from home could, in many cases, improve productivity.