Three‑quarters of Australian workers think now is a good time to change jobs. This is what managers can do better to keep them

This professional online article, published in The Conversation, examines employee engagement, job mobility intentions, and workplace wellbeing among Australian workers in a global context. Drawing on findings from the Gallup State of the Global Workplace 2024 report and related survey data, it highlights that Australian employees report higher intentions to seek new employment than the global average, alongside relatively low levels of engagement and commitment to organisational goals.

The discussion situates these trends within broader evidence on workplace stress, burnout, and negative work experiences, including reported rates of bullying, harassment, and discrimination. It synthesises research demonstrating the importance of engagement drivers such as autonomy, meaningful work, social support, feedback, and opportunities for growth, particularly under conditions of high job demands. The article also considers the organisational and economic implications of disengagement, including significant productivity losses at a national scale.

The article argues that leadership quality is a central determinant of engagement outcomes, with managers accounting for a substantial proportion of variance in team engagement. It critiques outdated management practices that prioritise visibility over trust and autonomy, and highlights the importance of adaptive leadership approaches that support flexibility, psychological safety, and employee wellbeing. The discussion concludes that improving engagement requires integrated organisational strategies, including empathetic leadership, supportive workplace cultures, and structural investment in meaningful work design, with evidence suggesting that best-practice organisations achieve substantially higher engagement levels than global averages.