Almost one in four Aussies will look to leave their jobs this year if they don’t get a pay rise from their employer, a new survey claims.
Around 23 per cent of working Australians insisted they would resign from their job in 2026 if they did not receive a pay rise, a survey of 1019 people by ADP revealed.
Aussies are no longer willing to put up with being underpaid. Rob Homer
The data also found more than half said they have been searching for another job, hoping to find a higher-paid role.
As inflation and cost-of-living pressures hit households hard, workers are looking for their employers to help ease the burden, and younger Australians are leading the charge.
The survey found 32 per cent of Gen Z and 30 per cent of millennials would look for new employment if a request for a pay rise was not met.
“Rising cost-of-living pressures are reshaping employee expectations,” ADP’s Judy Barnett said.
“Pay is firmly front of mind.”
While some businesses may argue the same economic pressures hitting their employees are also squeezing them, Barnett said there are some methods they can use to persuade their employees to stay if they cannot offer a pay rise straight away.
“Australian employees are open to options such as one-off bonuses, additional paid leave, and grocery or shopping vouchers,” she said.
“For organisations unable to offer immediate salary increases, these flexible benefits can help ease cost-of-living pressures while demonstrating responsiveness to employee needs.”
Australian minimum wage vs rest of the world
Earlier this week, the Fair Work Commission made a ruling that from July 1, the minimum wage will rise to $1004.90 per week, or $26.44 an hour.
Australia’s minimum wage offering is one of the highest in the world, with its new offering being around $16 an hour higher than the federally mandated minimum wage in the US.
However, while the minimum wage there is only $US7.25 ($10.12) an hour, several states offer baselines far higher than the federal offering.
California’s minimum wage, for example, currently sits at $US16.90 ($23.59) an hour, which is close to what Australia’s previous offering was before today’s increase.
The highest minimum wage is offered by the tiny European country of Luxembourg, which sits at €791.25 per week, or $1284.99.
The minimum wage in New Zealand is currently $NZ23.50, translating to $19.45 an hour.
This means on the minimum wage, New Zealanders can earn $NZ1017.50, or $842.01, a week.