KEY FINDINGS
Work-Life Balance Priority
• 65% of Australian workers prioritise work-life balance over higher salary¹
• Only 36% feel financially secure, yet most prefer balance over pay
• Recent global research shows work-life balance now overtakes salary as top priority (83% vs 82%)²
Financial Trade-offs for Pay Rise (up to 20%) □ Take on more responsibilities/workload – 29% □ Work extra hours – 27%
□ Work on-site full-time – 24% □ Accept fewer perks/benefits – 15%
REMOTE WORK RESISTANCE
Return to Office Costs
• Australia ranks 8th globally for work-life balance with just 32.29 hours average working week³
• 24% wouldn’t return to office full-time for any amount
• 76% want financial compensation to return to office full-time
• 56% willing to sacrifice remote work for up to 20% pay rise
Generational Differences
• Gen Z: 86% willing to return to office for salary increase
• Baby Boomers: Only 45% willing to make this trade-off
• New Zealand research mirrors Australian findings with 68% prioritising work-life balance⁴
TOP NON-SALARY BENEFITS
Time-Based Preferences
• Increased annual leave – 41%
• Reduced working hours – 30%
• Monthly rostered days off – 27%
• Flexible working arrangements – 26%
FINANCIAL CONTEXT
• 40% believe $100,000+ needed to live comfortably
• Australian wages grew 3.4% annually in June 2025, down from 4.1% previous year⁵
• National minimum wage increased 3.5% for 2025-26⁶
Footnotes ¹ SEEK Money Matters Report ² Randstad WorkMonitor 2025 ³ Australia Work-Life Balance Rankings ⁴ RNZ Work-Life Balance Research ⁵ Australian Bureau of Statistics – Wage Price Index ⁶ Ai Group Wage Dynamics Factsheet ⁷⁸ SEEK Career Advice
