Q. In light of the Covid-19 pandemic, which of the following risks do you think employees are currently the most vulnerable to?

Please rank each of the following from biggest risk (1) to smallest risk (6).

• Considering the Covid-19 pandemic, having less job security is seen as the biggest risk for employees by over a third (36%) of people.
• Working in unsafe conditions is seen as the next biggest risk (20%), followed by being exploited by employers (16%).
• Those not in paid employment are most likely to rate job security (40%) and unsafe conditions (24%) as the biggest risk to employees.

Q. How much trust do you have in the following organisations to responsibly use any personal information they may have about you?

The most trusted people/organisations to use personal information were the medical profession (73% trust), law enforcement agencies (56%), employers (46%), banks (45%) and companies you buy things from in person (44%). The least trusted were social media sites (12%) and TV networks (20%).

If been bullied or witnessed bullying –

Q. Was the bullying coming from –

68% of those who had been bullied or witnessed bullying in the workplace said the bullying was done by managers or employers and 48% said it was coming from colleagues.

Part-time workers were more likely to say the bullying was coming from managers/employers (74%).

Q. The number of people working in casual and contract jobs is increasing. Who do you think benefits most from the increasing number of casual and contract jobs?

A majority of respondents (55%) think that employers benefit most from the increasing number of casual and contract jobs. Only 7% think workers benefit most and 28% think both groups benefit equally.

60% of full time workers and 49% of part-time workers think employers benefit most. Those on higher incomes are also more liklely to think employers benefit most (62% of those on incomes over $1,600pw). For those on low incomes (under $600pw),  54% think employers benefit most, 4% workers and 34% think both benefit equally.

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Q. In the next two years employer superannuation payments will increase by 0.25% per year, and then by 0.5% each year up to 2019 when it reaches 12%. Do you agree or disagree that these increases are reasonable and affordable for employers or should employees bear the cost by accepting lower pay rises?

58% think that the yearly superannuation increases are a reasonable and affordable cost for employers and 19% think employees should bear the cost by accepting lower pay rises.

Those most likely to think the increases are a reasonable and affordable cost for employers were aged 25-44 (67%), full-time workers (66%) and those earning over $1,0000pw (64%).

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Q. Business groups have said that Australia’s industrial relations laws favour workers and unions and should be changed so that businesses can increase productivity and have more flexibility with their workforce. Do you think Australia’s industrial relations laws favour employers or workers or do they balance the interests of workers and employers?

Respondents were evenly divided over whether Australia’s industrial relations laws favour employers or workers – 25% think they favour employers, 24% favour workers and 34% think they balance the interests of both.

Labor voters are more likely to think they balance workers and employers interests (43%) while Liberal/National voters are more likely to thin they favour workers (39%). Only 15% of Labor voters and 12% of Greens voters think the laws favour workers. Comments »