Australia’s most attractive employers have one thing in common

A recent unveiling of Australia’s most attractive employers for 2024 highlights exactly what employees are after in an employer.

Randstad listed the top 20 most attractive employers in Australia. The top 10 of which were as follows:

1. Deloitte
2. IAG Australia
3. NSW Department of Communities & Justice
4. Virgin Australia
5. G8 Education
6. Australia Post
7. Transport for NSW
8. NSW Health
9. Healthscope
10. Queensland government

One glaring offering that stood out among just about every winner was job security. With economic trouble putting pressure on everyone, people are seeking roles that have longevity.

In fact, the research revealed that 44 per cent of Aussie workers are worried about losing their jobs, up from 27 per cent in 2023.

On picking the top employers, 56 per cent of respondents highlighted job security as the key driver for their decision, followed by financial health at 42 per cent.

It’s not surprising that money is on employees’ minds, as the cost of living soars. According to Randstad, wages grew 0.5 per cent in the first quarter of 2024, but Australians are still feeling the pressure, with just 12 per cent noting that they’ve been compensated for inflation.

Concerningly, 38 per cent have not received any kind of financial support from their employer over the past two years.

Despite this, the risk of looking for work elsewhere is too high. In fact, 67 per cent said they wouldn’t consider leaving their employer to receive better pay. Meanwhile, 19 per cent have or are considering taking on a second role or increasing their hours with their current employer.

David Owens, founder and managing director of HR Partners by Randstad, said: “While we know from our research that a decent salary is one of the top motivators for 59 per cent of Aussie workers, it’s not surprising, given daily headlines about redundancies, that Aussies are feeling too risk-averse to seek new employment to secure better pay.”

“Employers are in a tight spot, with employees putting the pressure on to improve pay to help with the cost of living, yet needing to balance those demands with the reality of keeping their businesses viable in an uncertain economic climate.”

Owens noted that for those who are making the leap to another employer, it’s important to make a good impression.

“For the one in five who are prepared to make a move, it’s important your CV stands out from the crowd. Bear in mind that a lot of businesses are adopting a skills-based hiring approach, focusing less on past experience and more on the skills required to do the job. So, employees must figure out what makes their skill set special and how to best define their personal brand in this context,” he said.

“If a move isn’t on the cards, embracing upskilling opportunities to sharpen adaptability, communication, and problem solving will set all employees in good stead to embrace new opportunities when the time is right.”