ELMO Employee Sentiment Index Australia (January – March ‘24)

Australian workers say it takes them 38 days to become fully productive in a new role, according to ELMO’s latest Employee Sentiment Index. 

It’s just one of the findings in our newly released report surveying 1,000 workers across Australia.

ELMO’s quarterly Employee Sentiment Index provides insight into topical issues as well as a pulse check across a number of key HR metrics.

This comprehensive report provides local data on workers’ sentiment about everything from the economy to their career plans, helping HR leaders better understand their own workforce.

The latest Employee Sentiment Index revealed:

Onboarding trends in Australia

Time to productivity

Productivity is a burning topic right now for business leaders. And while many managers expect their new hires to hit the ground running, how long does it really take for employees to get up to speed?

On average, Australian employees believe it takes 38 days for them to become fully productive in a new role, inclusive of the onboarding period. 

However, around a third of workers estimate that it takes them a week or less to become fully productive.

Disconnect between expectations and reality is causing new hires to quit

Our survey found that over the past three years, one in eight workers (12%) say they have left a job within their first year of employment there. 

The most common reason for leaving was that the job or organisation did not match with expectations set during the recruitment process, according to 40% of respondents.

The findings coincide with our recently launched 2024 HR Industry Benchmark Report. The survey of 1500 HR professionals estimated the average new hire turnover rate at 13% in Australia and 12% in New Zealand.

New job regret or relief?

Accepting a new job can be a risk. Will it live up to the expectations set during the recruitment process or fall disappointingly short?

According to our latest Employee Sentiment Index, almost 40% of respondents say they know whether their new job was the right move within one month. 

However, a third of Aussies say they know the answer within one week or less. And for 5%, they have made their mind up in just one day.

Take charge with the latest Australian data

Download the latest Employee Sentiment Index to learn more about onboarding trends, as well as other important topics.

Our report includes insights into:

• Job market trends
• Pay rise expectations
• Wellbeing metrics

Equip your HR strategy with local data into the big topics impacting your workforce. Get your free copy today.