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The attitudes of Australian workers were outlined in a recent Randstad report.
Workmonitor 2023 highlighted how Australians are more confident in their job security than the rest of the world, and that flexibility is still an important consideration.
According to the data, 52 per cent of workers globally are worried that the state of the economy will impact their jobs, while just 39 per cent of Australians believe the same.
“While Australian employee confidence is comparatively stronger than the global average, as talks of recession ramp up, a sense of vulnerability will creep into the market,” said David Owens, managing director at HR Partners by Randstad.
According to Mr Owens, while Australians are still more confident in their roles than the rest of the world, employers should still be doing all they can to keep staff free from fear of losing their job, as it will have an impact on the wider business.
“Many potential jobseekers will worry that the last one in, will be the first one out should they change jobs, and the company finds itself under economic pressure. Employers need to consider what they can do to minimise this risk; otherwise, it will make attracting talent harder and more expensive,” explained Mr Owens.
Despite this economic uncertainty, plenty of employees are still prioritising flexibility. Randstad’s data said that 42 per cent of Australian workers wouldn’t accept a job if it didn’t provide flexibility of location, and 46 per cent wouldn’t take a role that didn’t allow flexible hours.
Furthermore, 26 per cent have gone as far as to leave jobs that didn’t meet flexibility expectations, and 83 per cent said flexible hours are a key consideration when looking for a job.
Mr Owens continued: “Luckily, Australian workers are giving clear indications about what they are looking for: job security, better work/life balance and flexibility.
“Ultimately, the businesses which step up expectations during tough economic conditions will reap the rewards in recruitment and retention when times are easier.”
Most, but far from all, employers are listening to what the workers want. According to Randstad, 60 per cent of respondents said their jobs offer flexible working hours, and 56 per cent said they’re granted flexibility of working location.
Work/life balance is also important to Australian workers, as almost half would quit if the balance was affected by their job. Another 41 per cent would quit if their employer didn’t do something about a request for a better work/life balance.
To read Randstad’s full Workmonitor 2023 report, click here.
Jack Campbell
Jack is the editor at HR Leader.
