[Australia] 8 in 10 workers optimistic about the next five years

New research from HR and Payroll solutions provider ADP has revealed that most Australians feel optimistic about the future of work, Street Insider reports.

Apprehensions about AI adoption, the rising cost of living and other concerns are still prevalent, yet 8 in 10 Australians report being quite or very optimistic about work over the next five years. 

This positive outlook is reportedly influenced by workplace factors such as job security, career satisfaction and professional growth.

ADP surveyed 1,400 Australian workers across various industries and demographics for its People at Work report. The survey’s findings showed that Australians working in IT and telecoms (96 per cent), construction (88 per cent) and finance (83 per cent) have the most positive outlook on their careers.

Employees did report concerns about their employers’ lack of focus on career development and skill set opportunities. Forty per cent of respondents working in transport, 48 per cent in media and information and 50 per cent in retail or trade expressed less optimism than most other industries surveyed.

Kylie Baullo - ADP Managing Director ANZ - highlighted how adaptable Australian workers remained in the wake of evolving workplace and macroeconomic trends.

“Australians are an overwhelmingly resilient bunch. Despite the increasing pressures of the cost of living and the widely reported concerns around AI replacing workers and wage discrepancies, our research shows that Australians are positive about the future of work. That said, businesses must keep this sentiment alive, especially in light of these concerns,” Ms. Baullo said.

"Employers should continue prioritising supporting and freeing their HR teams from administrative activities to focus on important strategies, such as employee engagement. One option is to outsource back-end functions, such as payroll, to third-party experts."

ADP’s research also highlighted other factors fuelling optimism in the workplace, with increased flexibility reportedly high on the priority list for the majority. More than four in five (84 per cent) Australians who regularly work from home across all industries reported feeling positive about the future of their role for the next five years.

“Flexible working arrangements continue to improve Australians’ hopes for their careers but aren’t the sole solution to employees’ sense of optimism,” Ms Baullo said.

“Continuing to reward achievements, addressing mental health concerns, upskilling training programs, and promoting open communication are all essential elements for creating a supportive workplace culture and in turn, creating employee optimism.

“Innovation can also play a key role. By leveraging solutions that automate tasks, such as payroll administration, managers can devote more time to supporting and collaborating with their teams.”

Further insights can be found in the ‘People at Work 2023: A Global Workforce View’ report.

Source: Street Insider

(Links and quotes via original reporting)

New research from HR and Payroll solutions provider ADP has revealed that most Australians feel optimistic about the future of work, Street Insider reports.

Apprehensions about AI adoption, the rising cost of living and other concerns are still prevalent, yet 8 in 10 Australians report being quite or very optimistic about work over the next five years. 

This positive outlook is reportedly influenced by workplace factors such as job security, career satisfaction and professional growth.

ADP surveyed 1,400 Australian workers across various industries and demographics for its People at Work report. The survey’s findings showed that Australians working in IT and telecoms (96 per cent), construction (88 per cent) and finance (83 per cent) have the most positive outlook on their careers.

Employees did report concerns about their employers’ lack of focus on career development and skill set opportunities. Forty per cent of respondents working in transport, 48 per cent in media and information and 50 per cent in retail or trade expressed less optimism than most other industries surveyed.

Kylie Baullo - ADP Managing Director ANZ - highlighted how adaptable Australian workers remained in the wake of evolving workplace and macroeconomic trends.

“Australians are an overwhelmingly resilient bunch. Despite the increasing pressures of the cost of living and the widely reported concerns around AI replacing workers and wage discrepancies, our research shows that Australians are positive about the future of work. That said, businesses must keep this sentiment alive, especially in light of these concerns,” Ms. Baullo said.

"Employers should continue prioritising supporting and freeing their HR teams from administrative activities to focus on important strategies, such as employee engagement. One option is to outsource back-end functions, such as payroll, to third-party experts."

ADP’s research also highlighted other factors fuelling optimism in the workplace, with increased flexibility reportedly high on the priority list for the majority. More than four in five (84 per cent) Australians who regularly work from home across all industries reported feeling positive about the future of their role for the next five years.

“Flexible working arrangements continue to improve Australians’ hopes for their careers but aren’t the sole solution to employees’ sense of optimism,” Ms Baullo said.

“Continuing to reward achievements, addressing mental health concerns, upskilling training programs, and promoting open communication are all essential elements for creating a supportive workplace culture and in turn, creating employee optimism.

“Innovation can also play a key role. By leveraging solutions that automate tasks, such as payroll administration, managers can devote more time to supporting and collaborating with their teams.”

Further insights can be found in the ‘People at Work 2023: A Global Workforce View’ report.

Source: Street Insider

(Links and quotes via original reporting)