The workplace power dynamic in Australia has fundamentally shifted, according to Great Place To Work.
A landmark report from the organisation, surveying over 158,000 Australian workers, reveals a “seismic transformation”: workers are no longer waiting for change; they’re driving it. From Gen Z to frontline staff and underrepresented groups, today’s employees are demanding more than perks. They expect flexibility, fairness, a real voice, and above all, trust.
“The future of work isn’t coming. It’s already here; and it’s employee-led,” says Great Place To Work ANZ General Manager Rebecca Moulynox.
“Companies that fail to adapt to this shift will find themselves irrelevant to the talent they need most.”
Key findings from the report:
- Flexibility is retention fuel. 93% of surveyed employees who feel supported to take time off want to stay long term. Where flexibility is lacking, that figure plummets to 63%.
- Voice matters. At leading organisations, 92% of surveyed frontline workers feel heard by decision-makers. At typical companies? Just 50%.
- Trust is everything. Even in high-performing workplaces, only 38% of surveyed employees want to stay if trust erodes, regardless of benefits or culture initiatives.
- Purpose is expected. Gen Z workers don’t just want meaning; they demand growth, inclusion, flexibility, and leaders they believe in.
- Fun at work. This is 200% more powerful than any benefit. Employees who report fun are nearly three times more likely to thrive.
Great Place To Work has also revealed its 2025 list of Australia’s Best Workplaces, which celebrate 100 organisations across different categories from micro to large that are leading the way in workplace culture and employee engagement.
This year’s large category winners:
- Hilton – Australia’s #1 Best Workplace for 2025 (also World’s #1 Best Workplace in 2023).
- Cisco – embedding trust into AI adoption with its own secure assistant and Responsible AI framework.
- REA Group – bridging five generations with leadership programs that connect Gen Z grads to Baby Boomer mentors.
Across other categories, winners include:
- Swisse Wellness (Medium) –championing wellbeing “inside and out”, with a culture built on health, trust and employee empowerment.
- The Man Cave (Small) –reshaping purpose-led culture through youth wellbeing and mentoring.
