Simple trick to boost Australia's productivity as workers turned off by bad bosses
Australian workers are going through the motions, with mediocre management one of the major reasons why Australians are not engaged with the workforce.
New research released by Gallup shows just 23 per cent of Australians are engaged with their workplace, leading to an estimated $223bn in lost economic activity.
Gallup managing director Claire DeCarteret said employers need to better meet the needs of employees and in turn will get a boost to their own business.
'We don't know if it's that they don't like their job, but they're not emotionally connected to the work that they're doing every day, and mainly it's because they're going through the motions,' Ms DeCarteret said.
'They may not be supported by a great manager, and a lot of the time, it's that their needs are not being met in the workplace.'
The results back up a national issue, with Australia currently suffering through a slump in productivity over the last eight years, which accelerated post Covid.
The last productivity reading for the fourth quarter of 2024 showed output per hour worked fell an annualised 1.2 per cent.
Ms DeCarteret said while employers often spruik 'benefits' for employees like yoga mats and ping pong tables in offices, they miss the fundamental challenge of people feeling undervalued.
'When it really comes down to it, people want to feel supported, be recognised for their contributions, and actually feel like they're making a difference,' she said.
'And so it comes down to great management, so I would say, you know, that's probably where we can make the biggest difference.'
Workers looking to leave
Worse still for Aussie bosses is the finding that most Australians think now is a good time to leave their job.
According to the figures, 42 per cent of people in Australia are really actively looking for a new job.
'I think the risk could be that when we stabilise a little bit post election, those who are dissatisfied or disengaged, who are intending to leave, may just do so,' Ms DeCarteret said.
A further 72 per cent of Australians say now is a good time to find a job — the highest in the world and just shy of last year's record-setting 73 per cent.
This sentiment signals continued labour market confidence but also suggests that retaining top talent will require more intentional engagement strategies.
'Obviously, it costs a lot for them to stay and not be productive, but it costs more for them to leave,' Ms DeCarteret said.
'The ideal scenario is that they feel valued and supported in a way that they could make a contribution.'
'The reason why they join an organisation in the first place, and why their skills were matched and they were the right fit at the time. So ideally, it would be better to engage them rather than lose them.'
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