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Myer to mandate corporate employees back in to the office five days a week
Major department store Myer has mandated that its corporate employees will have to return to the office in person five days a week.
- Major department store Myer has mandated that its corporate employees will have to return to the office in person five days a week.
- The mandate comes amid the retailer’s move into a new headquarters that will bring all departments under one roof.
- The Money Edition understands that some exceptions will be made for employees on a case-by-case basis.
Major department store Myer is bucking the hybrid-work trend, ordering its corporate employees to be in the office five days a week as it moves into its new headquarters in Melbourne.
The Money Edition understands the mandate coincides with the establishment of the headquarters in South Melbourne, where several departments will come together under one roof.
Some exceptions will be made for employees with pre-arranged working conditions on a case-by-case basis.
“We’re moving into a new store support office next month, which is a purposely designed space to bring our Myer and Apparel Brands teams together under the one roof,” a Myer Group spokesperson told The Money Edition.
The new headquarters follows the Myer Group signing an 11-year lease to occupy several floors of 75 Dorcas Street in South Melbourne.
At the June announcement of the move, Myer Group executive chair Olivia Wirth said it would be the first time all teams were together.
“A key part of the integration of the two businesses is having a place where our more than 1000 strong support office team can work and collaborate together as we continue with the creation of the wider Myer Group,” she said.
Myer currently operates more than 750 stores across Australia and New Zealand and employs around 17,000 staff.
The Myer Group also involves a portfolio of brands including Just Jeans, Jay Jays, Portmans, Dotti, Jacqui E, sass & bide, Marcs and David Lawrence.
Myer mandate could prove temporary with new laws
The order for employees to be in the office five days a week in Victoria could prove temporary, pending new legislation from the Carroll Government.
The world-first legislation, deferred to start on July 1, 2027, protects workers’ right to work from home.
Amendments made to the bill mean workers whose jobs can “reasonably be done from home” will have the right to work from home two days a week.
The laws will only apply to employees who reside in Victoria, and “home” will mean the employee’s principal place of residence, or a location agreed between the employer and employee.
The commencement date for small businesses, those with fewer than 15 staff, will move to 1 January 2028, giving them more time to prepare.
Employers will have 28 days to respond to work-from-home requests.
Topics: Hybrid Work, Myer, Work