Why Aussies Love Life But Hate Work: What HR Can Do About It

“Australia is a lucky country, run mainly by second-rate people who share its luck.”

That’s a famous phrase coined over six decades ago by Donald Horne, an Australian writer and journalist. Aussies boast about living in one of the world’s best places. Beautiful cities, natural wonders, beaches and safety, we have a pretty strong safety net. But when it comes to work, employees aren’t so lucky.

Recent data from Gallup shows that less than 25 per cent of Aussies are engaged at work. Over 12 per cent are actively disengaged, meaning they aren’t just checked out but are potentially contributing to a toxic workplace culture. And the rest of your employees? They’re simply going through the motions, or thinking about knicking off overseas. 

Given we spend a third of our lives working, why is there such a mismatch between our seemingly lucky country? Outside the office, Aussies say they’re thriving. But inside your organisation's, the four walls tells a different story.

One suggestion by economists is that organisations are built on outdated assumptions, and many workplaces haven’t caught up with what employees need. The pandemic shook us, and suddenly, work was no longer separated from life, and the human side of employees can’t be missed.

At the same time, the rise of AI means the skills that truly matter are no longer just technical at work. Empathy, creativity, emotional intelligence, and curiosity are now essential. They are the human edge that machines can’t replicate. For HR leaders, this signals a huge opportunity to reshape workplaces into environments that honour and cultivate these traits.

In this blog, we’ll explore why some Australians aren’t so ‘lucky’ at work, the cultural technological legacies that hold them back, and the new mindset HR needs to close this gap and help make Australia lucky again.

Lucky outside but not inside 

Australia consistently ranks as one of the best countries to live in. But this positive outlook contrasts with what’s happening inside our workplaces. Less than a quarter of Australian workers are engaged at work, meaning most are simply clocking in without real energy or commitment. 

So why does this paradox exist? 

Workplaces are disconnected from our day-to-day life. When engagement is low, organisations face higher turnover, lower morale, and declining performance. This disengagement costs the Australian economy billions annually, with estimates of around $223 billion lost in productivity alone.

Outside the office, employees have access to freedom, community, and well-being. But inside, structures are too rigid, outdated and stress levels are too high.

This chronic stress is linked to managerial pressures. Australian managers are often expected to do more with fewer resources, juggle employee wellbeing alongside performance and lead through rapid technological change such as AI adoption. The toll on both managers and employees has been significant.

But because Aussies look on the bright side of life, they think that everything is going to be okay. Yet, this optimism masks a crucial risk for HR. If engagement doesn’t improve, the gap between life satisfaction and work satisfaction will widen.

For HR leaders, this paradox calls for urgent reflection. Traditional engagement strategies aren’t going to cut it. At its core, it’s about aligning workplace culture with the lifestyle values Aussies hold dear…flexibility, and wellbeing.

Let the human shine

The pandemic changed everything. 

Suddenly, we saw colleagues as people, as workspaces moved from between kitchens and bedrooms. It also coincided with rapid technological advances, where automation and AI began replacing repetitive tasks.

These shifts exposed the limits of outdated norms. While AI handles routine work, empathy, emotional intelligence, creativity, and curiosity have emerged as competitive differentiators. The World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2024 highlights that by 2030, skills such as leadership, social influence, and complex problem-solving will be among the most in-demand.

To dismantle these legacy cultural norms and build new, human-centred workplaces is a challenge for HR. It means shifting from valuing output alone to valuing wellbeing and engagement equally. 

This cultural transformation requires HR to embed human skills development in leadership training, performance metrics, and daily practices. Embracing this shift also involves redefining leadership and valuing humility, adaptability, and emotional intelligence. These traits, once viewed as weaknesses, are now understood as vital to leading diverse, agile teams in complex environments.

The future belongs to organisations that understand that behind every digital tool and AI algorithm is a human mind and heart.

Lessons for HR

The stats are pretty grim, but the opportunity is real for HR. If we want Australia to be as great to work in as it is to live in, HR has a serious role to play.

• Redefine what success looks like. Traditional KPIs that only measure output or profit miss the real cost of burnout and disengagement. Progressive companies are now using scorecards that include wellbeing, engagement and retention.

• Build human skills like empathy, curiosity, and emotional intelligence into leadership frameworks and L&D programs. For example, Salesforce bakes empathy into its leadership training because it drives innovation, inclusion, and results.

• Treat flexibility as a strategic tool. The pandemic proved people can thrive without being chained to a desk. Yet many Australian businesses are quietly walking it back. 

• Fix the middle management problem. Gallup says managers account for 70 per cent of the variance in employee engagement. If they’re stressed, unsupported or poorly trained, the ripple effects are massive. Give them coaching, feedback tools and permission to lead like humans.

• Look beyond traditional ways to recognise employees. Tailor feedback and use public shoutouts to fuel loyalty. Google combine data with development to keep people motivated and connected.

• Culture change starts with leadership, but you have to drive it. Call out outdated norms, share the data, and hold people accountable for the human cost of their decisions.

The future of work in Australia depends on how bold HR is willing to be. If we can build more human workplaces, with purpose, flexibility and real recognition, then maybe we’ll be able to work in a lucky country too.

About us

At Martian Logic, we help HR teams close the gap between a great lifestyle and a great workplace. Our all-in-one HRIS gives you the tools to build a culture that’s not just compliant, but genuinely engaging. If your employees are switching off, burning out, or quietly looking elsewhere, we help you find the friction and fix it fast. Because in a country as lucky as Australia, work shouldn’t feel like the unlucky part.