ACT public servants to stay working remotely

Tens of thousands of Australian public servants were told to return to the office if safe to do so in a circular from the Australian Public Service Commission on Tuesday.

It came six months after departments began working remotely due to COVID-19.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said he would ask state and territory leaders to encourage their public servants to do the same.

"It's time to get our CBDs humming again and I think the Commonwealth public service taking the lead in that regard is a good thing," Mr Morrison said.

However an ACT government spokeswoman said there would be no change for their officeworkers still based at home.

"To ensure the continued safety and wellbeing of the community and all ACTPS employees, where it works for employees and work areas, employees who can work flexibly, including from home, are encouraged to do so," the spokeswoman said.

"This decision has helped to protect our colleagues working in community facing roles and, of course, members of our community who are vulnerable."

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More than 23,000 people were employed in the ACT public service in 2018-19.

However nearly 7400 worked for Canberra Health Services while more than 7100 worked in education.

The ACT government spokeswoman said the majority of ACTPS staff - such as those working in schools, health services, justice and community-facing roles - had been back in their usual workplace for some time.

But Canberra Business Chamber senior advisor Michael Schaper said it would send a "really important signal" to the business community if ACT public servants returned to the office.

"We've got to a good point now in terms of suppressing the virus, we need to make sure that one of the casualties isn't our local economy," Dr Schaper said.

"If the Commonwealth can do it, the ACT public service ought to be doing it as well."

Dr Schaper said there were areas of Canberra that desperately needed a boost.

"We think that regional districts as well as Civic both need that impetus that will come about when we've got a large number of people back in there working, buying lunche.s getting services, doing their shopping," Dr Schaper said.

"There's a whole variety of businesses in Civic in Tuggeranong, in Woden, whole parts of the city that are based around that daytime trade, not only for public servants but that's a huge chunk of it and we really want to get it back out there."

However new research from UNSW suggests public servants may be more productive working from home.

A survey of nearly 6000 bureaucrats found 64.3 per cent felt they got more work done at home, especially women.