What we found
- The office wasn't built for kids. Most offices have no soundproofing, and small children have no volume control.
- For many families, bringing a child to work is the final resort.
- Once they're in the office, safety and confidentiality become the employer's responsibility too.
- Some companies solved this years ago.
Should kids be allowed in the office?
The office wasn't built for kids.
Most offices have no soundproofing, and small children have no volume control. Even the best-behaved kid can be a distraction for everyone else.
But with childcare costs rising, it's not a problem parents can solve on their own.
Both sides can be right.
For many, it came down to how often it happened and whether it disrupted everyone else.
If companies want to kill wfh then somethings got to give, especially during school hols.
The problem isn't the child.
For many families, bringing a child to work is the final resort. Once they're in the office, safety and confidentiality become the employer's responsibility too.
Some companies solved this years ago.
Before COVID, IAG ran school holiday programs for $5 a day. SEEK set aside activity spaces, and Dexus used vacant floors in its own buildings.
If companies want people back in the office, they can't just turn a blind eye to childcare.
Source: The Aussie Corporate community poll, data as at September 2026. Spotted an error? Correct something.
