Lara Giddings says people may not be needed in the office every day

Lara Giddings, the State's first female Premier and a former Minister for Health took over as chief executive of the Tasmanian branch of the AMA in March 2019.

She said COVID-19 had firmly put working from home as a necessary option for those workplaces that could be flexible.

"As a doctors' membership organisation, we felt it was important to lead the way and therefore, we shifted to a work from home basis at AMA Tasmania quickly during Tasmania's lockdown earlier in the year," Ms Giddings said.

"Our doctors supported our decision and have made no complaints about the service we continue to provide in a mixed working environment.

"Since then we have had a mix of working from home and office options, so that we can limit the number of staff in the office at any one time."

Ms Giddings was adamant that there had been no decline in staff productivity.

"In fact, I would say it has improved with the flexible working arrangements.

"It is reasonable for those employers who can, to continue to encourage a mix of working from home and at work for their employees, while we still live with the potential of a COVID outbreak as seen in South Australia.

"We may never go back to the pre-COVID days of requiring a person to be physically in an office every working day."

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The AMA employs four part-time staff in Tasmania.

Ms Giddings said video conferencing platforms had been used for meetings.

She said weekly meetings had been held during the height of the pandemic to ensure members had support and could talk through concerns and ideas.

"State council and board meetings have a zoom and in person component now - with limited numbers in the room," Ms Giddings said.

"Many of my meetings are online, reducing the need for car parking in the city as well as being more efficient with time.

"We have weekly meetings with all AMA CEOs bringing us closer together as a federal organisation. We miss some of the face to face personal catch-up over dinner - but we are all talking together and sharing ideas much more."