CHORUS broadband statistics in Ōtorohanga and Waitomo have shown residents want flexibility with how and where they work as the distinct turn from an office-led environment moves to working from home for many. Ongoing changes to the way people work in both districts are showing up in broadband usage patterns on the Chorus network, Chorus chief people officer Shaun Philp said.
FLEXIBLE, HYBRID As increasing numbers of businesses in the region adapt to worker demands for flexible, hybrid working models, average monthly data usage for residential and small businesses in Ōtorohanga and Waitomo increased to 493 GB (July 2022). This compares with 271 GB in February 2020, ahead of New Zealand’s pandemic response, a more than 75% increase on average. “Working from home before 2020 was for a select few, and it was unimaginable to think working from home would be widespread within the year. This culture-shift is driving considerable data usage on Chorus’ network in Ōtorohanga and Waitomo. “This developed-appetite for remote and flexible working has Kiwi businesses deciding what the future of work will look like for their staff.” Shaun said the future of the workplace should be a people-led choice. “People are now more comfortable working from home, following extended lockdowns and the pandemic response. “While Covid was the catalyst, it’s now the environment we’re operating in, and that means businesses are having to adapt. “Realising that the future of work won’t solely revolve around the office, Chorus has taken the early lessons observed of the post-pandemic workforce into account and is adapting its offices to reflect New Zealand’s flexible work culture. “Now when you come into the office, we are expecting the kind of work that you will be doing is face-to-face collaboration. We want our spaces to encourage a more interactive way of working,” he said.
QUICK TO UTILISE Fibre has eased New Zealand’s transition from an office-focused workforce to an adaptive and flexible one. Chorus’ Big Fibre Boost tripled download speeds from 100 megabits per second (Mbps) to 300 Mbps, meaning people can do more at home without impacting the rest of their household’s internet experience. “Ōtorohanga and Waitomo residents were quick to utilise the increased connection speeds which saw an increase of 769% from an average 28.1 Mbps in February 2020 to 243.9 Mbps in July 2022,” Shaun said. Ultra-fast broadband (UFB) phase two has brought fibre to smaller Ōtorohanga and Waitomo towns and their communities such as Mōkau and Piopio. The UFB phase two fibre build is due to be completed at the end of December. “With fibre available in more than 390 cities, towns, and communities, Kiwis no longer are forced to look for the skills and talents their businesses need in one location; an open approach to flexible working enables businesses to recruit from anywhere,” Shaun said.
