Workforce movement and stability
Intention to leave
An employee’s intention to leave, and how engaged they feel in their work and workplace are linked – and are indications of organisational performance. Questions on intention to leave are included in the Working for Queensland survey.
- 30% intend to stay working in their position for the next one to two years.
- 45% intend to stay working in their position for at least the next three years.
- 16% intend to leave their position within the next 12 months.
- 9% intend to leave their position as soon as possible.
Source: Working for Queensland 2023.
The main reasons for employees leaving their positions are:
- senior leadership is not meeting the employee’s expectations
- lack of career opportunities in their current agency
- seeking skill development in another area
- emotional exhaustion.
Source: Working for Queensland 2023.
Where employees are engaged, they intend to stay in their current role for longer:
- 62% intend to stay working in their position for the next one to two years
- 29% intend to stay working in their position for at least the next three years
- 8% want to leave their position within the next 12 months
- 1% want to leave their position as soon as possible.
Source: Working for Queensland 2023.
Where employees are disengaged, they intend to leave their current role sooner:
- 14% intend to stay working in their position for the next one to two years
- 14% intend to stay working in their position for at least the next three years
- 26% want to leave their position within the next 12 months
- 46% want to leave their position as soon as possible.
Source: Working for Queensland 2023, % of respondents.
- Employees separating tend to stay for at least five years before leaving the public sector.
- Of those who have separated, 65% worked in the sector for five years or more.
Source: MOHRI March 2024.
In the past 12 months prior to March 2024 employees have had an average of:
- 2.8 days unscheduled leave per quarter
- 1.9 days sick leave per quarter
- 0.4 days carer leave per quarter.
- The average length of tenure in the Queensland public service is 11.5 years.
- 19% have been employed for over 20 years.
- A quarter of Queensland’s public servants have been employed in the sector for between 10 and 19 years.
- 21% have been employed for between five and nine years.
- 35% have been employed in the Queensland public sector for less than 5 years.