By Shannon Haintz, APS Academy
For many of us in the APS, remote work has become part of our daily lives. We log on from our home offices and get to know our colleagues online.
Flexible working arrangements help the APS attract and keep skilled people, no matter where they are in Australia. Flexibility is one of the workplace conditions that both current and prospective APS employees value most.
The 2025 APS Employee Census found that 80% of respondents now access some form of flexible arrangement, up from 71% in 20201. Here is a breakdown:
- 68% work away from the office at least some of the time (up from 53% in 2020).
- 30% access flexible hours (up from 27% in 2020).
- 13% work part time (down from 16% in 2020).
- 5% work a compressed week (up from 3% in 2020).
- 0.3% have a job-sharing arrangement (steady since 2020).
- This shift tells us that flexibility is how the APS works now.
One of the most important stories in the data is about who benefits most from flexible arrangements.
- Employees with disability are more likely to work fully remotely (13%) than those without disability (6%).
- Working remotely is more common among neurodivergent employees (12%) than it is among other employees (6%).
- People with caring responsibilities tend to use fully remote (8%) and regular hybrid arrangements (55%) more than those without caring responsibilities (6% and 49% respectively).2
But what does this mean for how we learn and connect in the APS?
Learning remotely
When you're in an office, learning happens without really noticing. You overhear a conversation about a new program. A colleague leans over and shows you a keyboard shortcut. Your manager mentions a new project in the lunchroom.
At home, you're not bumping into anyone in the hallway. Sometimes that’s fine but sometimes it can feel isolating, especially if you work fully remotely. At home, learning needs to be more deliberate. That doesn't mean it has to always be formal or time-consuming – it just means we need to create the conditions for it.
Some people do this by setting aside regular time each week for development. Others join communities of practice, where people in similar roles share ideas and resources across agencies. Some find that mentoring gives them the connection and challenge they need to keep growing.
People who thrive remotely tend to be people who've found ways to stay curious. They ask questions, seek feedback and treat learning as something that happens every day.
Connecting remotely
Remote work and remote learning rarely thrive without connection. Remote work can be isolating so it’s important to feel connected to our teams. When we feel connected, we’re more likely to ask for help, share ideas or nominate ourselves for a new opportunity.
Regular check-ins, informal conversations and genuine curiosity about how colleagues are going, all contribute to a sense of belonging.
Some ideas to stay connected are Monday morning catch-ups or sharing lunch on Fridays. There might be opportunities to meet up with people in the same town or attend gatherings with people in the same state. You might be able to meet with senior leaders when they travel or you might have opportunities to attend events in capital cities.
Flexible work
Flexible work is a core part of the APS. It benefits a wide range of staff including people with disability and people with caring responsibilities.
When we stay connected, keep curious and make time and space for learning, we can build a career that works for our life and where we want to live.
The APS, through its strategies, programs and platforms, supports flexibility. It also supports the ways we learn and connect when we work remotely.
Learn more
Course: Managing remote and hybrid teams
Course: Working away from the office
1 Australian Public Service Commission, Flexible work in the APS, APSC website, 2026, accessed 19 June 2026.
2 Australian Public Service Commission, Flexible work in the APS, APSC website, 2026, accessed 19 June 2026.