Workplace trends: data insights from employee research
2021 data insights:
The start of a new normal?
By Chris Fajou
Last year, we analysed and shared insights on employee experience during the heart of the pandemic in 2020. Voice Project’s data showed that staff satisfaction had increased compared to pre-pandemic levels as a consequence of increased focus on staff engagement and wellbeing. Since then, Australia has experienced further outbreaks, lockdowns, a large-scale vaccination drive, and an easing of restrictions. This created a roller coaster of conditions that organisations had to flexibly manage. Now over two years into the pandemic, we take look at the 2021 data trends in Australian workplaces to see if the initial uplift in staff satisfaction represents the bar for the new normal… or has it been lost due to the cumulative toll of the pandemic?
Data from over 59,000 employees
We collected 2021 data from 59,030 employees working in 185 predominately Australian organisations across a variety of industries. To look at emerging trends, we have compared these results against 2020 data, and against a 5 year pre-pandemic average.
With the challenges of further outbreaks and lockdowns last year, we might have expected the longer-term toll of the pandemic to negatively impact workplace experience in 2021. However, overall employee engagement and wellbeing only decreased 1% compared to 2020, and most workplace practices assessed by Voice Project’s engagement survey maintained similar levels of satisfaction. No workplace practices increased more than 1%, and the lowest overall decrease in satisfaction was with organisational processes (-4%).
When compared to the pre-pandemic 5 year average, the 2021 data is similar to the 2020 results - overall employee experience in 2021 is 4% higher, with increases in both staff engagement (+2%) and wellbeing (+3%).
Overall, this shows that organisations have continued to ensure staff feel adequately resourced and supported, in light of the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Key insights
Despite this overall stability in results, when we dive a little deeper, we see the following important insights:
New ways of working require new processes
Staff satisfaction with processes at work dropped significantly (-4%), and the results suggest that processes appear to be less clear and efficient. As organisations have adapted to new ways and models of working, it is critical that these are formalised and communicated clearly as well as widely through updated processes. It is also important to review what initiatives have successfully enabled safety and collaboration at work. Look for where inefficiencies have crept in and keep only what is working well.
Is there a need to communicate new and additional safety processes?
Have new ways of working with customers, especially increased online service delivery, been documented?
Explore if there are increased needs/expectations from staff for flexible working arrangements. Have new ways of collaborating due to virtual and hybrid working arrangements been clarified?
Attracting talent is getting harder
With border controls impacting migration, it is no surprise that employers have found it harder to attract talent (down 4%), a trend that is relatively consistent across most industries. In 2022, it is important to demonstrate your employee value proposition in this highly competitive job market. Staff retention is also an emerging issue - according to the ABS*, job mobility has been at the highest level since 2012. It's important to know which factors most impact your employees' intention to stay. See how you can explore this in the Voice portal or reach out for a chat with a Voice Project consultant.
Industry trends
Given the pandemic has impacted different industries disproportionately, it is worthwhile noting some key industry differences:
Aged Care: our 2021 data shows significant decreases in staff satisfaction in Aged Care compared to 2020, which is consistent with the challenges this industry has faced due to the pandemic. Notably, satisfaction with pay and benefits decreased 11%, and is now below pre-pandemic levels.
Local Government: staff satisfaction continued to increase in Local Government, with an average increase of 4%. Areas that increased notably were recognition (+12%), and leadership (+8%).
What the best did better
Exemplary organizations managed to defy 2021 challenges and uphold strong employee engagement. See how these industry exemplars successfully fostered excellent workplace practices.
Aged Care: Watch our Change Champion webinar recording. Hear from HammondCare CEO Mike Baird on how this aged and dementia care provider significantly improved employee engagement in the pandemic.
Local Government: Watch a short video to see how Murray River Council fostered employee involvement and achieved remarkable change in less than 12 months, winning a 2021 Change Champion Award.
*Job mobility, February 2022 | Australian Bureau of Statistics (abs.gov.au)
Voice Project provides research-backed surveys that measure employee engagement, leadership capability and customer satisfaction. These state-of-the-art surveys help organisations get the best feedback to drive positive change. Voice Project works with organisations across the not-for profit, private and public sectors. Get in touch.