May 3rd was Administrative Professionals Day in Australia when companies are provided with an extra opportunity to show their appreciation to their employees. Prior to the day, research among more than 23,000 office workers around the world by specialised global recruiter Robert Half found Australian bosses are ranked amongst the most appreciative of their staff. The findings are based on a global ranking of eight countries published in the report, It’s Time We All Work Happy®. The Secrets of the Happiest Companies and Employees.
In the global rankings of eight countries, Australia ranks third (55 per cent) when it comes to being appreciated by their staff, only second to the Netherlands (58 per cent) and the USA (59 per cent). The UK (50 per cent) and Belgium (46 per cent) are the countries where employees feel least appreciated.
Employee appreciation by country
| Country | Appreciation level |
| 1. USA | 59 per cent |
| 2. The Netherlands | 58 per cent |
| 3. Australia | 55 per cent |
| 4. Canada | 54 per cent |
| 5. France | 54 per cent |
| 6. Germany | 53 per cent |
| 7. UK | 50 per cent |
| 8. Belgium | 46 per cent |
Source: Independent survey commissioned by Robert Half based of more than 23,000 office workers globally.
Who is Australia’s most appreciated employee?
Appreciated levels fluctuate with age. According to the research, the Australian workers who feel most appreciated by their boss are those aged 18-34 (61 per cent), followed by professionals aged 55+ (56 per cent) and those aged between 35-54 (49 per cent).
Gender also seems to slightly impact perceptions around appreciation, as Australian women are somewhat less likely to feel appreciated in the workplace than men, with 53 per cent of Australian women feeling appreciated compared to 56 per cent of their male colleagues.
Industry can also play a role, with people working in marketing/creative (74 per cent), legal (66 per cent) and technology/IT (63 per cent) feeling the most appreciated, compared to those working in healthcare (48 per cent), finance/financial services (44 per cent) and manufacturing (43 per cent) feeling the least appreciated.
Across Australia, there are minimal differences between the states, apart from Western Australia. Those working in New South Wales, Queensland (56 per cent respectively) and Victoria (55 per cent) feel the most appreciated followed by Western Australia (50 per cent).
“Employee recognition is more than a trendy buzzword. It can have a significant impact on any organisation,” said Nicole Gorton, director of Robert Half Australia. “Employees who feel appreciated are generally more productive, more motivated, more engaged and more likely to stay with the company long term.
“In any organisation, how bosses thank and recognise their staff for their performance is essential. Regularly praising staff for a job well-done can do wonders in terms of employee morale and retention, but just handing out compliments may not be the way to go. Even small gestures, such as a handwritten thank-you card or a company-wide recognition email can make a difference in how an employee feels about your company’s recognition efforts.
“In competitive markets characterised by skills shortages in many industries, talented employees often have ample occasion to find new and potentially better opportunities,” she adds. “Giving them due recognition and making them feel appreciated can sometime make the difference between them sticking with you or joining forces with your competition.”
