Employee health and wellbeing
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Employee perceptions of their leaders
Employee perceptions of leaders are key drivers of employee engagement.
Perceptions associated with senior managers and the executive group have all improved.
For senior managers, positivity of sentiment has improved by between four and five percentage points.
For the executive group, between 2022 and 2024, the positive sentiment has improved:
- communicates a clear direction for the future: 49% to 54%
- models the values and principles of the organisation: 48% to 55%
- keep employees informed: 48% to 53%
- makes employees feel heard: 38% to 44%.
Fairness and equitable treatment
The extent to which people feel they are treated fairly and equitably is associated with a range of aspects of the organisation and is a significant driver of employee engagement.
In the Queensland public sector, perceptions of fairness and equity have consistently improved since 2022.
The concepts of diversity, inclusion and respect discussed in the Our diversity chapter strongly influence perceptions of fair and equitable treatment.
The transparency of fundamental governance processes is also strongly correlated with perceptions of fairness and equity. Procedural fairness is defined as being the fairness of administrative processes and decision-making and in an organisational context includes recruitment, selection, promotion and performance management.
All elements of procedural fairness in the WfQ survey have improved between 2022 and 2024.
Flexible work
Flexible work facilitates work/life balance, contributes to individual employee wellbeing and supports employee diversity and equity.
Flexible work includes not only working from home or other locations but also flexible start and finish times, the accrual and work hours or flexi-time, compressed work weeks, job sharing or part-time work.
The Queensland public sector is committed to workplace flexibility as a key element of the employee value proposition, as a contributor to individual productivity and a contributor to commitment and engagement. In the Queensland public sector flexibility is negotiated between individual employees and their managers. WfQ data is indicative of the use of such arrangements, but the sector does not capture exhaustive data on all such arrangements.
Under the Public Sector Act 2022, the employment of public sector employees should be guided by a set of principles which include equitable and flexible working environments. The Flex-connect framework supports the implementation of flexible working in the Queensland public sector through six guiding principles:
- equity: flexible work supports equity and inclusion
- teamwork: teams design approaches that suit all
- happy medium: approaches are considered in the context of individual circumstances, such as obligations to culture, community and family, along with the needs of the team, customers and leaders, and organisational priorities
- wellbeing: integrated, proactive approaches to health, safety and wellbeing
- performance: employees work together to build a future-focused, high-performance public sector that delivers
- leadership by example: senior leaders role model flexible work and embed access across the organisation.
The proportion of WfQ respondents who do not use any form of flexible work arrangement has decreased over the past three years.
The proportion of people working remotely from home increased from 49% to 54% between 2022 and 2024.
The proportion of people using hot desks has increased from 5% to 11% between 2022 and 2024.
| Usage of the flexible work options | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Part-time work | 10% | 11% | 11% |
| Remote working: a location other than your official place of work and other than your home e.g. distributed work centre, on-site | 9% | 9% | 8% |
| Remote working: from home | 54% | 51% | 49% |
| Flexible work hours (e.g., accumulated hours as 'flexitime') | 43% | 42% | 42% |
| Flexible work hours for example start late or early to meet responsibilities external to work | 30% | 30% | 29% |
| Self-selecting schedules | 6% | 6% | 6% |
| Flexible shifts/scheduling | 6% | 6% | 6% |
| Shift swapping | 6% | 6% | 7% |
| Designing own rosters | 2% | 3% | 3% |
| Job sharing | 1% | 1% | 1% |
| Compressed work hours | 4% | 4% | 3% |
| Part-year work/annualised hours | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Term-time working | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Casual/on call | 2% | 2% | 2% |
| Hot desks | 11% | 8% | 5% |
| Purchased leave/extended leave/deferred salary schemes | 1% | 1% | 1% |
| Leave at half pay | 7% | 7% | 6% |
| Other | 1% | 1% | 1% |
| None of the above | 20% | 23% | 23% |
Source: WfQ 2022–2024
In the past year, there has been a one percentage point increase in the number of WfQ respondents who have requested flexible work arrangements.
The reasons given by respondents for not requesting a change to their work arrangements has also shifted. Of those who have not requested a flexible work arrangement but wish to, the proportion that stated flexible work was frowned upon, that it would limit career progression or that the employee didn’t feel confident asking have each decreased
| Requested flexible work arrangements in the last 12 months | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yes, I requested one or more flexible work arrangements | 47% | 46% | 46% |
| No, I have not requested a flexible work arrangement but I am content with my current arrangements | 43% | 44% | 44% |
| No, I have not requested a flexible work arrangement and I would like to adjust my current arrangements | 9% | 10% | 10% |
| Reasons for not requesting a change to work arrangements | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| I didn't feel I was entitled to make a request | 25% | 25% | 25% |
| I felt it would limit my career progression | 20% | 23% | 22% |
| I felt it would limit my access to training and development | 9% | 11% | 11% |
| Flexible working is frowned upon/not supported in my workplace | 26% | 28% | 28% |
| I was concerned that it may negatively impact my team | 23% | 25% | 26% |
| I didn't feel confident presenting my case or negotiating arrangements with my manager | 22% | 26% | 25% |
| I feel the technology I currently have access to does not support flexible working | 4% | 5% | 5% |
| I don't feel confident in my manager's ability to manage staff working flexibly | 9% | 11% | 11% |
| None of the above | 33% | 33% | 33% |
Source: WfQ 2022–2024
The proportion of employees for whom flexible work arrangements are the norm and who are able to adapt work arrangements to suit personal and work needs has increased seven percentage points between 2022 and 2024. This is an indicator that the principles of Flex-connect framework are now better understood and that capability in their implementation is increasing.
| Describe your access to workplace flexibility | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| A range of flexible work options are available to me in my job. Flexible work is the norm. I am able to adapt my flexible work arrangement to suit my work and personal needs | 49% | 44% | 42% |
| A range of flexible work options are available to me in my job. Flexible work is the norm. I am able to adapt my flexible work arrangement to suit my work and personal needs | 17% | 19% | 18% |
| Flexibility is closely managed and only through formal agreements. Ad hoc arrangements are by exception, and I don't like to ask. I feel flexibility is seen as an inconvenience in my workplace | 9% | 10% | 11% |
| Flexibility is available but options are limited to the exception. Flexibility is possible under certain circumstances e.g. If I need to care for a sick child or family member or if I have an appointment that must be scheduled during work hours. I would only ask if I had no other option | 8% | 9% | 10% |
| There is some flexibility e.g. I can request specific shifts or swap shifts, there is some flexibility in start and finish times | 9% | 9% | 9% |
| The only flexible work options are limited to full time vs part time | 2% | 3% | 3% |
| No, given the nature of my work, flexible arrangements are not possible | 7% | 7% | 8% |
Source: WfQ 2022–2024
There remains opportunity for improvement in the implementation of flexible work arrangements.
Only 58% of respondents did not feel that their commitment to the organisation would be questioned if they requested flexible work; while 55% felt that all employees, regardless of gender are actively encouraged to adopt flexible work arrangements.
Only a quarter of respondents felt that being a part-time manager is an option in their organisation
Flexible work arrangements and caring responsibilities
Flexible work supports equity, particularly for people with caring responsibilities.
People with caring responsibilities are more likely to use some form of flexible work arrangement. Carers are more likely than non-carers to work part-time; use flexible work hours; and use flexible work start and finish times.
| Use of the flexible work options | Sector | Carer | Not a carer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Part-time work | 10% | 16% | 6% |
| Remote working: a location other than your official place of work and other than your home e.g. distributed work centre, on-site | 9% | 9% | 8% |
| Remote working: from home | 54% | 60% | 51% |
| Flexible work hours (e.g., accumulated hours as 'flexitime') | 43% | 45% | 41% |
| Flexible work hours for example start late or early to meet responsibilities external to work | 30% | 37% | 26% |
| Self-selecting schedules | 6% | 7% | 5% |
| Flexible shifts/scheduling | 6% | 6% | 5% |
| Shift swapping | 6% | 5% | 6% |
| Designing own rosters | 2% | 3% | 2% |
| Job sharing | 1% | 1% | 1% |
| Compressed work hours | 4% | 5% | 4% |
| Part-year work/annualised hours | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Term-time working | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Casual/on call | 2% | 2% | 2% |
| Hot desks | 11% | 11% | 11% |
| Purchased leave/extended leave/deferred salary schemes | 1% | 1% | 1% |
| Leave at half pay | 7% | 8% | 7% |
| Other | 1% | 1% | 1% |
| None of the above | 20% | 16% | 23% |
Source: WfQ 2022–2024
Flexible work arrangements and gender identity
WfQ respondents who identify as female are more likely to use some form of flexible work arrangement.
Gender diverse employees are the least likely to use some form of flexible work arrangement.
While many forms of flexible work type are commonly used, the use of flexible work diverges between respondents who identify as female and male on:
- remote working
- flexible work hours
- flexible work start and finish times.
| Use of the flexible work options | Sector | Identify as female | Identify as male | Identify as gender diverse |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part-time work | 10% | 15% | 4% | 10% |
| Remote working: a location other than your official place of work and other than your home e.g. distributed work centre, on-site | 9% | 8% | 9% | 7% |
| Remote working: from home | 54% | 60% | 47% | 40% |
| Flexible work hours (e.g., accumulated hours as 'flexitime') | 43% | 47% | 36% | 33% |
| Flexible work hours for example start late or early to meet responsibilities external to work | 30% | 33% | 26% | 22% |
| Self-selecting schedules | 6% | 6% | 6% | 6% |
| Flexible shifts/scheduling | 6% | 5% | 6% | 7% |
| Shift swapping | 6% | 5% | 7% | 7% |
| Designing own rosters | 2% | 2% | 3% | 4% |
| Job sharing | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% |
| Compressed work hours | 4% | 5% | 3% | 4% |
| Part-year work/annualised hours | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Term-time working | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Casual/on call | 2% | 1% | 3% | 2% |
| Hot desks | 11% | 11% | 11% | 8% |
| Purchased leave/extended leave/deferred salary schemes | 1% | 1% | 1% | 2% |
| Leave at half pay | 7% | 8% | 5% | 6% |
| Other | 1% | 1% | 1% | 2% |
| None of the above | 20% | 15% | 27% | 31% |
Source: WfQ 2022–2024
Change management
Change is frequent and ongoing for public servants, regardless of jurisdiction.
In Queensland, the introduction of four-year terms provided an element of predictability and a longer time-horizon for the achievement of program outcomes.
That said, machinery of government changes are not unusual during terms of government and are certainly the norm following elections.
Machinery of government changes occur when the government of the day changes the structure of their cabinet and associated ministerial portfolios. When portfolios change, the structure of departments and the public sector may also change.
In these situations, agency leaders have limited control over the change but can control organisational elements of the change process.
Ideally employees will be consulted in change management processes, but this can be challenging in the public sector. Seniority, therefore, plays a significant role in consultation in the change process.
| Never and rarely | Once in a while, some of the time and fairly often | Often and always | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Individual contributor | |||
| Staff are consulted about significant change at work. | 24% | 48% | 28% |
| Have the opportunity to provide feedback on change processes that directly affect me. | 26% | 45% | 29% |
| Team leader | |||
| Staff are consulted about significant change at work. | 21% | 50% | 30% |
| Have the opportunity to provide feedback on change processes that directly affect me. | 21% | 47% | 32% |
| Program leader | |||
| Staff are consulted about significant change at work. | 13% | 46% | 41% |
| I have the opportunity to provide feedback on change processes that directly affect me. | 13% | 44% | 43% |
| Executive and Chief Executive | |||
| Staff are consulted about significant change at work. | 6% | 28% | 66% |
| I have the opportunity to provide feedback on change processes that directly affect me. | 6% | 27% | 67% |
Source: WfQ 2022–2024
Work demands
While there are many organisational elements or resources that contribute to engagement, none will have impact if work demands are excessive.
The experience of work demands has remained relatively stable since 2022.
| Never and Rarely | Once in a while, Some of the time, and Fairly often | Often and Always | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I need to work long hours to meet performance expectations. | 2024 | 35% | 47% | 18% |
| 2023 | 34% | 48% | 18% | |
| 2022 | 31% | 46% | 24% | |
| I am given unachievable deadlines. | 2024 | 50% | 38% | 12% |
| 2023 | 49% | 39% | 13% | |
| 2022 | 48% | 37% | 15% | |
| My work is emotionally demanding. | 2024 | 26% | 48% | 25% |
| 2023 | 24% | 49% | 28% | |
| 2022 | 18% | 52% | 30% | |
| My work is physically demanding. | 2024 | 58% | 32% | 10% |
| 2023 | 55% | 34% | 11% | |
| 2022 | 48% | 38% | 13% | |
| I am overloaded with work. | 2024 | 29% | 52% | 19% |
| 2023 | 28% | 52% | 20% | |
| 2022 | 22% | 56% | 22% | |
| I feel burned out by my work. | 2024 | 35% | 46% | 18% |
| 2023 | 35% | 45% | 20% | |
| 2022 | 30% | 48% | 21% | |
| My work leaves me feeling emotionally exhausted. | 2024 | 34% | 47% | 20% |
| 2023 | 33% | 46% | 22% | |
| 2022 | 30% | 48% | 22% | |
| My work leaves me feeling physically exhausted. | 2024 | 51% | 37% | 12% |
| 2023 | 49% | 38% | 13% | |
| 2022 | 44% | 42% | 14% | |
Source: WfQ 2022–2024