Q. Over the last 12 months, has the business you work for cut back on staff, increased staff or have staffing levels stayed much the same?

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Only asked to those in employment

For those currently employed, over half (57%) indicated that staffing levels have stayed much the same at their place of employment. 26% indicated that over the past 12 months, the business they work for has cut back on staff, 13% indicated that staffing levels have increased and 4% don’t know.

There were no significant differences in terms of public or private workplaces; however people employed in the public sector were slightly more likely than those in the private sector to indicate there has been a cut back on staff in their workplace (29% v 25%).  Comments »

Q. Most employees in Australia are entitled to take four weeks paid annual leave after each 12 months of work. Do you think this is a sufficient or do you think Australian workers should get more?

More than half (59%) of those surveyed think that four weeks paid annual leave after 12 months of work is sufficient, while 35% think that Australian workers should get more.

Labor and Coalition voters were more likely to think that four weeks paid annual leave is sufficient (59% Labor, 71% Coalition), while Green voters were more likely to think Australian workers should get more (45%).

People aged 55 years and over were more likely to think that four weeks paid annual leave is sufficient (84%), while people aged 35 years or less were more likely to think Australian workers should get more annual leave (61%).

Full-time workers were more likely than part-time workers to think Australian workers should get more annual leave (44% v 37%).

People earning $1000 – $1600 per week were more likely than those in other income groups to think Australian workers should get more annual leave (42%).

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Q. Thinking about your job, how much annual leave do you get from your employer?

19% of people surveyed get less than four weeks annual leave from their employer, 63% get four weeks and 18% get five weeks or more annual leave from their employer.

People on lower incomes were more likely to get less than four weeks annual leave from their employer (49% earning $600 per week or less, 38% earning $600 – $1000 per week).  People on higher incomes were more likely to get four weeks annual leave ($1600 + per week 69%).  23% of people earning $1600 per week or more receive five weeks or more annual leave from their employer.

Full-time workers were more likely than part-time workers to get four weeks annual leave from their employer (72% v 45%).

64% of non union members and 58% of union members get four weeks annual leave from their employer.   Union members were more likely than non union members to get five weeks or more annual leave from their employer (32% v 14%).

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Q. Do you agree or disagree that you feel pressured by your employer, or because of your workload, to NOT take your annual leave?

27% of people surveyed agree that they feel pressured by their employer or because of workload to not take their annual leave, 50% of people disagree that they feel pressured by their employer or because of workload to not take annual leave and 23% don’t know.

People aged 25 -34 were more likely than those in other age groups to agree that they feel pressured by their employer or because of workload to not take annual leave (42%).

Full-time workers were slightly more likely than part-time workers to agree that they feel pressured to not take annual leave (29% v 23%).

People earning $1000 – $1600 per year were more likely to agree that they feel pressured by their employer or because of workload to not take their annual leave (34%), while 55% of people earning $1600 per week disagree that they feel pressured not to take their annual leave.

Union members were more likely than non union members to disagree that they feel pressured by their employer or because of their workload to not take annual leave (60% v 47%).

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