Leadership behaviour is the number one attribute that makes a great workplace according to a new report and survey of more than 110,000 employees across multiple industries in Australia.
The 2023 Insights Report on Australia’s Best Workplaces released today reveals leaders in the best Australian workplaces have mastered the art of meaningful engagement with their employees, recognising that fostering a culture of open dialogue and genuine care is pivotal in navigating through turbulent times.
The new report reflects the insights of more than 110,000 Australian employees who took part in the latest Great Place To Work® Trust Index™ survey and was developed in partnership with UKG, a world-leading Human Capital Management cloud company.
It shows that leaders who foster an environment of mutual respect and shared vision, succeed in building more than a workplace – they cultivate a true sense of camaraderie that propel teams to the next level.
Key research findings of what makes workplaces in Australia great:
- Integrity in practice matters. Employees want leaders who walk the talk: The report shows when employees know that they can count on their leaders to be committed to high principled standards and will take consistent actions against these principles, it has a direct positive impact on their overall workplace experience.
- Engaging employees and having purposeful connection counts: Australian employees surveyed showed they desire active participation in the decision-making process, seeking collaboration with management to influence organisational strategy and direction.
- Nurturing wellbeing beyond being just an employee is important: As employees continue to navigate work and personal life issues during tough times, they are actively seeking leaders who demonstrate genuine empathy and understanding. Leaders from the Best Workplaces in Australia take a sincere interest in their people, showing empathy for their diverse professional and personal needs.
- Fostering camaraderie and creating strong workplace relationships: The best workplace leaders put effort into creating environments where individuals collaborate and cooperate effectively and share family-like closeness to achieve workplace excellence. They don’t just preach camaraderie; they actively embody it, serving as role models and champions for collaboration.
(Statistical breakdowns for each key finding contained in the full report)
The report shows employees are increasingly seeking guidance and stability from their leaders - compelling them to navigate uncertainties from inflationary pressures to Artificial Intelligence, while upholding the responsibilities they bear towards their people. Amidst these challenges, the best leaders are the ones who have not only weathered the storm post-Covid, but have emerged stronger by building thriving workplaces.
Mr Roland Wee, Board Chair of Great Place To Work ASEAN & ANZ, said the 2023 Best Workplaces™ data showed employees are increasingly looking to their leaders for direction and stability, intensifying the pressure on them to successfully navigate both operational demands and people responsibilities.
“The report shows that in 2023, employees really value genuine engagement on an organisation’s strategy, purpose and management,” Mr Wee said.
“Employees also place a high value on integrity and leaders who walk the talk, which can have a profound positive impact on their workplace experience.”
Mr Neil Solomon, Vice President, APAC & Latin America UKG and Global Great Place To Work Ambassador, said there has been a notable shift in the priorities of employees as reflected in the 2023 Insights Report on Australia’s Best Workplaces.
“While traditional markers of success like job stability and financial compensation remain important, employees now place greater emphasis on holistic wellbeing and a sense of purpose in their work,” said Mr Solomon.
“The pandemic played a significant role in catalysing this transformation, underscoring the significance of work-life balance, flexible arrangements, and work that aligns with personal values and which contributes to a larger societal impact.
“Facilitating flexibility for workers is not only a compassionate approach but also a strategic imperative that yields significant benefits. When employees have the freedom to balance their personal lives with work commitments, their overall well-being improves, leading to increased job satisfaction and reduced burnout.”
The report also includes a demographic analysis that examines the experiences of employees across different managerial levels, ages and genders. This data suggests that older workers have a poorer experience than their younger counterparts.
“Australian companies have made great strides in providing a consistent workplace experience for different genders and minority groups like First Nations People, evidenced in the report. The challenge before us is how to best engage the fastest growing demographic group of older workers,” said Mr Wee.
“The companies who are able to do this well are likely to be those who are best able to buck short-term challenges to create long-term business success.”
Earlier this month, Great Place To Work® revealed Cisco, Adobe, This Is Flow and EFCOMM as the #1 Best WorkplacesTM in Australia, across 4 size categories, in its 16th annual Best WorkplacesTM event in Sydney.
ENDS
Report link: 2023 Australia Best Workplaces Insights Report - Great Place To Work Australia
Methodology
The Report and Best Workplaces draw on observations based on the Great Place To Work® Trust IndexTM Survey responses representing over 110,000 employee voices across different industries in Australia. The survey data measures the three key relationships that drive an employee's experience in their workplace—relationships with management, colleagues, and their job. The Trust Index score represents the percentage of employees who consider their company to be a great workplace and is an indicator of their actual workplace experience.
About Great Place To Work®
Great Place To Work® is the global authority on workplace culture. Since 1992, we have surveyed more than 100 million employees worldwide and used those deep insights to define what makes a great workplace: trust.
About UKG
UKG champions great workplaces and builds lifelong partnerships with its customers to show what's possible when businesses invest in their people. As one of the world's leading WFM and HCM cloud companies, UKG Life-work Technology approach to HR, payroll, and workforce management solutions for all people helps nearly 80,000 organisations around the globe and across every industry anticipate and adapt to their employees' needs beyond just work. To learn more, visit www.ukg.com.au