It looks like an “Employers Strike Back” trend is emerging with a leading human relations firm polling bosses and finding a growing majority won’t touch a would-be worker if they won’t come to the office five days a week. This could be an early sign that the ‘Trumpification’ of the US could be a worldwide movement of people who used to be in charge.

Political analysts trying to work out why the US electorate gave Donald Trump the White House, the Senate and the House of Reps (that’s a clean sweep!) argue the cost-of-living problem was a huge factor but the surprise inclination of minority groups such as blacks, Hispanics, religious minorities and legal immigrants to vote for Trump indicates concerns about the ‘new rules’ as US TV host Bill Maher calls them, that are in all likelihood worrying these groups.

To that group, you could add worried parents about what’s tolerated at schools, academics who are cancelled for addressing objective debateable topics, and generally a bewildered older world confused about how to address someone with the right pronoun.

The support for Trump could be that people who don’t even like him voted for him because he wasn’t signed up for the changes okayed by the Democrats. And employers worldwide could easily be in that group.

The HR software firm Rippling polled 500 Australian business leaders on their expansion goals for 2025, where they’re looking for new staff and how the work-from-home tussle is playing out.

Blair Jackson from News.com.au says that “the report finds 57% of employers are less likely to hire candidates unwilling to work onsite five days a week.”

And another 60% are less likely to consider candidates who will not work beyond contracted hours.

“Employers must communicate their expectations clearly to ensure alignment with employees’ own expectations for flexibility,” Matt Loop, Rippling head of Asia told NewsWire. “Ultimately, the goal should be a workplace dynamic that prioritises results, engagement, and wellbeing over rigid rules”.

The poll surveyed leaders from middle management or above, including HR leaders, finance leaders, business owners, managing directors and IT leaders, at firms with a headcount between 20 and 500.

“The research found Gen Z’s preference to work from home, unwillingness to work outside standard hours, lack of company loyalty and desire for rapid career progression all rank as main concerns among the managers surveyed,” Blair reported. “Major Australian corporations are telling staff to get back into offices, the latest being Coles.”

The group of employees who will be most affected by this ‘Trumpification’ of employers will be Gen Z, who were born between 1997and 2012. The Covid experience gave them a taste of working from home and there’s bound to be pushback from this group on the subject of going back to the office full time.

Matt Loop says this group are like remote work and high flexibility, but this can be in conflict with the productivity needs and goals of employers. And because many businesses have been challenged by rising interest rates and a slowing economy, what was tolerated post-Covid might be less so going forward.

Of course, bosses can play hardball with some workers but not all. Until our labour market shows rising unemployment rates, employers will need to tread carefully, especially with key contributors in the workplace. “Employers need to find a balance by creating growth pathways that respect these preferences while also ensuring that essential skills and experience are developed along the way,” Matt Loop advised.

Interestingly, the Ripling survey indicates the private sector is in a hiring mood, with 86% of businesses planning to hire more employees in 2025, and 89% looking internationally.

Other findings included:

1. Australian firms are most often looking to recruit from Singapore, China and the broader Asia-Pacific region.
2. Australians with critical thinking skills, cybersecurity expertise, and industry-specific certifications were not in good supply.
3. 97% of Australian businesses incorporate AI in hiring and onboarding.

Clearly, survey questions of potential employees will ask if they’re prepared to come to work five days a week. Their responses to that question could be an AI trigger that means they might now get to the post-AI interview stage.

While a ‘Trumpification’ change is bound to show up here, it probably won’t be as dramatic as the recent US experience.