aussies prepared to walk if forced back to the office.

Randstad’s latest Workmonitor research, which surveyed 27,000 workers in 34 markets, reveals the majority (55%) of Aussie workers believe flexible work is now non-negotiable, with two thirds (63%) having made arrangements in their lives, such as moving house or getting a pet, based on the assumption that working from home is here to stay. 

Consequently, should return to work expectations change, over half (56%) would consider quitting altogether. This is despite growing concerns around job security with almost half (44%) of Aussie workers worried about losing their job - up 17% from the same time last year.  

Aussie workers are also willing to prioritise work-life balance (95%) and flexible working hours (87%) over career ambition (64%), with over half (51%) happy to stay in a role they like even if there’s no room to progress. 

This shift is not down to a lack of ambition, with two in five (44%) Aussies claiming they feel ambitious and the majority (65%) feeling motivated in their current role. Yet two in five (44%) never want to take on a managerial role, opening up the possibility of a managerial gap in years to come. 

For many, not wanting career progression does not mean they are uninterested in self-improvement, with the majority (69%) rating training and development as important to them. When asked what learning opportunities would be most interesting, AI and technology literacy came out on top, ranking number one for 15% and 10% of workers respectively. 

Jo Jakobs, Director NSW, Randstad, comments: “Our research shows it's not only getting harder for employers to navigate the demand for flexible work with a desire for teams to spend more time in-office, it's also becoming more challenging to encourage talent to take on more responsibilities such as management. It's possible that organisations may face a shortage of leaders as current executives retire. To address this, employers must support and align benefits with what employees want. If managerial roles offered flexible work arrangements it could well make climbing the ladder more appealing.” 

about randstad

Randstad is the world’s leading talent company and a partner of choice to clients and talent. We are committed to providing equitable opportunities to people from all backgrounds and help them remain relevant in the rapidly changing world of work. We have a deep understanding of the labour market and help our clients to create the high-quality, diverse and agile workforces they need to succeed. Our 40,000+ employees around the world make a positive impact on society by helping people to realise their true potential throughout their working life. 

Randstad was founded in 1960 and is headquartered in Diemen, the Netherlands. In 2022, in our 39 markets, we helped more than 2 million people find a job that feels good and advised over 230,000 clients on their talent needs. We generated revenue of €27.6 billion. Randstad N.V. is listed on the Euronext Amsterdam. For more information, see www.randstad.com

about the randstad workmonitor 

The Randstad Workmonitor was launched in 2003 and now covers 34 markets around the world. The study encompasses Europe, Asia Pacific and the Americas. It is conducted online among respondents aged 18–67 who are either employed for at least 24 hours per week, sole traders, or unemployed but considering looking for a job in the future. The minimum sample size is 500 interviews per market. The Dynata panel is used for sampling purposes.

The survey for our 2024 study was conducted between October 23 and November 11, 2023 on 27,000 workers in Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong SAR, Hungary, India, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States.