79% Of Australians Have Purchased Devices To Support Online Activities During COVID-19

According to NBN Co’s latest Behavioural Change Survey, which examines how Australia’s internet habits have changed since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, almost four in five people working from home (79%) have purchased one or more devices to support their online activities.

In addition, more than 56% of respondents working remotely have created a new or dedicated office space. This is in line with the surging demand for consumer electronics witnessed across the country.

For instance, although imports are down overall, the ABS noted that laptop imports from China surged in April.

Officeworks has also witnessed substantial sales growth as people scramble to deck out their home offices.

Evidently, many expect the working from home trend to continue even once the COVID-19 restrictions have passed. Over two-thirds of interviewees said that they expect to work from home once the pandemic has ended.

Furthermore, 81% said their remote work has had a positive impact on their work-life balance.

“The research shows people are interested in making remote work part of a longer-term lifestyle change – they’re setting up home offices and reporting working from home provides better work-life balance,” said Minister for Communications, Cyber Safety and the Arts Paul Fletcher.