A new survey has revealed Australian workers’ job dissatisfaction, leaving many out of their pockets for work costs.
According to new research from the Australian digital expense platform DiviPay, 46% of Australian workers are left out regarding work-related expenses.
Published as the cost of living in Australia is skyrocketing, perhaps more shockingly, one in five workers never gets these costs back. To better understand the frustrations employees experience when reclaiming the money their workplace owes them, the survey asked 1,000 Aussies how they handle work costs. It exposed some alarming truths that many workers across Australia are facing. With people struggling financially in an environment of high inflation, hybrid work, and rising interest rates, workers are trying to stretch their dollars as far as possible. Despite this, more than six in ten (64%) employees aged 45 and over are completely sidelined regarding work-related expenses. One in five employees (20%) declares no work-related costs, which amounts to a quarter (25%) of all female employees.
Job satisfaction at risk The pandemic has only accelerated the problem, blurring the line between work and private costs. This leaves many employees confused and frustrated with what is and is not considered a business expense. When employees were asked why they did not include a cash purchase for a work item in their expenses, the main reasons were:
They think it’s too much of a hassle. They’re not sure if their employer has allowed these expenses. They believe the system is too complicated. They’ve lost the receipt or proof of purchase.
As the war for talent plagues the workforce, holistic employee well-being has never been more important. Yet the challenges of work compensation lead to greater job dissatisfaction. Half of the employees (47%) who paid work-related expenses out of pocket admit feeling anxious or concerned about getting their money back; just over a third (36%) say they are dissatisfied with their employer about getting their money back. Fees. “2022 has been dubbed the ‘great job boom’, with the Australian job market going through a huge shock,” said Daniel Kniaz, founder and CEO of DiviPay.
“More jobs are being advertised than ever, with many Aussies re-evaluating their careers, current workplaces, and prospects.
“For business leaders, having a strong Employee Value Proposition has become essential to attract and retain employees,” he says.
ERusselRussell, Co-Founder and CTO at DiviPay, added, “I have met many CEOs and CFOs in my time and th, ere is definitepancy when itregardingportance of a streamlined expense management process. Ensuring employees don’t come out of pocket, or worse, never get compensated, shouldn’t be overlooked. We’re not just talking about money here, but how employees feel about their company and their role in the workforce. organization.”
“Employee wellbeing and satisfaction has catapulted up the list of priorities with many companies offering myriad benefits to enhance culture, engagement, trust, and productivity – but somehow work compensation seems to be slipping through the net,” he says. “Our research has shown that employees experience a lot of anxiety about reclaiming labor costs, but this is something that can be easily remedied,” Martin says.
“Having a robust, easy-to-use business claims platform may seem like a small initiative, but it can make all the difference to an employee’s job satisfaction and will be critical to employee retention.”
