Recent research from the MetLife 2022 Australian Employee Benefits Trend Study reveals that females and younger employees (aged 25-39) are experiencing lower levels of job satisfaction and loyalty than their counterparts. 

While job satisfaction for males remained relatively unchanged from 70% in 2020 to 71% in 2022, for females it decreased from 70% in 2020 to 65% in 2022. For younger employees, it decreased from 66% in 2020 to 60% in 2022.

In line with these findings, the study shows that 47% of females and 51% of employees aged 25-39 have considered leaving their job in the past 12 months. The top five reasons for this were stress/burnout, level of pay, desire for a better work/life balance, lack of employer recognition, and not being adequately rewarded for staying long term.
 

Interest in wellbeing programs and initiatives

In the study, 21% of females gave a response of ‘not healthy’ regarding their mental health. The most common response for why they rated their mental health this way was ‘outside work stress’.

In Australia, 83% of employers recognise that they have a responsibility for the health and wellbeing of their employees. Providing employee benefits such as flexible working arrangements, professional training and development, and stress management programs can lead to a more satisfied, engaged and productive workplace. The study shows that employees who are satisfied with the range of benefits offered in their workplace are 2.3 times more likely to consider themselves ‘mentally healthy’.

Almost one in three females (73%) expressed interest in company-provided relaxation initiatives to support their mental wellbeing. They were also interested in physical fitness resources (70%) and mental health coverage within insurance (67%). In addition to making sure employees are supported in terms of their pay, workload and working preferences, these types of initiatives may be well-received by burnt-out employees looking to improve their mental health.