Rising Costs Outweigh Job Satisfaction Concerns For 79% Of Australian Workers, Survey Finds

A recent survey of over 2,000 employees and managers has revealed that 79% of people are more concerned about the rising cost of living than job satisfaction, while 76% report experiencing unhappiness with certain aspects of their profession.

In addition, frustrated frontline workers, combined with inefficient tools and outdated IT systems, are costing Australia an estimated AU$29.5 billion in lost productivity gains, News.com reported.

Based on a new survey by tech company SafetyCulture, highlighting the challenges faced by frontline industries amid years of inflation, 85% of the polled women were more concerned about price increases, compared to the 75% of men, who share the same worry.

According to AAP, 84% working in hospitality and 80% in retail reported the highest levels of anxiety about the rising cost of living.

Among the 76% of workers, who expressed dissatisfaction with some aspect of their job, 37% cite unreasonable expectations as the main reason for their burnout.

Additionally, 36% of workers point to frustration with delays in problem-solving or decision-making processes. Finally, 33% of employees report feeling pressured to take shortcuts to save time or cut costs.

A majority of frontline workers in sectors such as construction, hospitality, and logistics are increasingly dissatisfied with their jobs, leading to high productivity losses for their employers.

On an average, these workers are costing their employers 6.59 hours per month due to unproductive downtime, frequent errors, and absenteeism. This dissatisfaction of the workforce is resulting in the Australian economy losing an estimated AU$15.8 billion in lost productivity.

"Frontline workers are telling us they feel unheard, overstretched, and compromised. On top of this, there is a strained relationship between employees and management that isn't conducive to a healthy workplace culture or optimal outputs," Sam Byrnes, chief product officer at SafetyCulture, said.

Another key issue is the use of inefficient tools and outdated IT systems, causing frustration among the workers. These tools are making it harder for employees to do their jobs efficiently, in addition to slowing down the processes, leading to unnecessary delays and downtime.

As a result, Australian workers are losing around 5.7 hours each month due to inadequate tools and IT systems. This lack of efficiency is costing Australian businesses a huge amount -- an estimated AUD $13.7 billion each year.

A "them versus us" mentality has also become increasingly common between management and frontline workers, deepening the divide between the two groups. This divide is most prominent in the distribution, logistics, supply, and transport sectors, where 66% of workers report experiencing it.

Meanwhile, it is least noticeable in the hospitality industry, with only 48% reporting the trend.