[Australia] Employees prioritise flexibility over pay rises

New research has revealed that Australia’s employees are rejecting opportunities for a pay increase in exchange for flexible work as workplaces continue to see a disconnect around in-office days, HRD reports.

Morgan McKinley's 2024 Salary Guide discovered that 47 per cent of professionals in Australia would reject a pay rise if it meant getting the flexible work patterns they requested.

The findings reportedly follow previous research which highlighted employers' expectations that providing flexibility would need to have some manner of trade-off.

For some employers, this trade-off means offering lower salaries to employees under flexible work arrangements than those working the traditional 9-5, Monday-to-Friday work week.

In-office disconnect

Other employers are reportedly trying to encourage staff to work more days in-office in exchange for flexible work. However, disagreements continue regarding the number of days that should be spent in the office.

More than half (56 per cent) of respondents in the Morgan McKinley report said they want to be in the office just one or two days a week.

But almost two-thirds of organisations are requiring staff to be in the office more regularly than last year.

Resistance to on-site returns has previously been attributed to offices not being worth the commute, putting the onus on employers to make office returns worthwhile through perks such as training.

Flexibility

Flexibility reportedly remains crucial in Australian workplaces with such arrangements reportedly appearing among the most sought-after benefits by employees. These included:

• Working from home
• Flexible working hours
• Working remotely overseas for an extended period
• Bonuses
• Health and wellbeing support

The list appears at a time when many organisations are trying to retain talent with specialist skills and experience to further their "ambitious transformation agendas," Dominic Bareham - Managing Director of Morgan McKinley Australia - said.

"Offering meaningful benefits, with a clear focus on flexibility, will play a key role. If additional skills are required, hiring contractors, or consultants will allow organisations to proceed with programmes without the headcount commitments," Mr Bareham said in a statement.

Source: HRD

(Links and quote via original reporting)

New research has revealed that Australia’s employees are rejecting opportunities for a pay increase in exchange for flexible work as workplaces continue to see a disconnect around in-office days, HRD reports.

Morgan McKinley's 2024 Salary Guide discovered that 47 per cent of professionals in Australia would reject a pay rise if it meant getting the flexible work patterns they requested.

The findings reportedly follow previous research which highlighted employers' expectations that providing flexibility would need to have some manner of trade-off.

For some employers, this trade-off means offering lower salaries to employees under flexible work arrangements than those working the traditional 9-5, Monday-to-Friday work week.

In-office disconnect

Other employers are reportedly trying to encourage staff to work more days in-office in exchange for flexible work. However, disagreements continue regarding the number of days that should be spent in the office.

More than half (56 per cent) of respondents in the Morgan McKinley report said they want to be in the office just one or two days a week.

But almost two-thirds of organisations are requiring staff to be in the office more regularly than last year.

Resistance to on-site returns has previously been attributed to offices not being worth the commute, putting the onus on employers to make office returns worthwhile through perks such as training.

Flexibility

Flexibility reportedly remains crucial in Australian workplaces with such arrangements reportedly appearing among the most sought-after benefits by employees. These included:

• Working from home
• Flexible working hours
• Working remotely overseas for an extended period
• Bonuses
• Health and wellbeing support

The list appears at a time when many organisations are trying to retain talent with specialist skills and experience to further their "ambitious transformation agendas," Dominic Bareham - Managing Director of Morgan McKinley Australia - said.

"Offering meaningful benefits, with a clear focus on flexibility, will play a key role. If additional skills are required, hiring contractors, or consultants will allow organisations to proceed with programmes without the headcount commitments," Mr Bareham said in a statement.

Source: HRD

(Links and quote via original reporting)