Australian management dragging down productivity: Workplace Truths survey
July 25, 2025 ACTU.
A new survey shows Australian workers are dealing with high workloads, burn out and bosses with limited managerial capacity to support them to work effectively.

The nationally representative poll, undertaken for the ACTU ahead of next month’s Economic Reform Roundtable, found 39% of Australian workers – or about 5.7 million workers report feeling burnt out at work.

The survey reinforces the most recent Gallup State of the Global Workplace Report showing that 65% of Australian workers are not engaged at work, with a further 12 % actively disengaged.

The ACTU survey shows that half the workforce or around 7.3 million workers regularly work extra hours or do over time and high workloads were ‘regularly or always’ experienced by more than 28% of all workers. Only around half (54%) of workers felt they had enough staff in their workplace to get the job done.

In a report card on managerial capability, 41% of workers or around 6 million workers did not think their immediate manager created an environment in which they feel motivated to do their best work.

Only half of all managers had sought the view of their employees on how to improve their ways of working (55%) or encouraged their individual professional development and growth (55%).

These results reinforce repeated studies that show Australia’s slow productivity growth is being driven by relatively poor management capacity.

The impact of changes in technology and AI also left 51% of workers saying they need more skills and training from their employers.

Quotes attributable to ACTU Secretary, Sally McManus:

“Too often, too many employers have equated lifting productivity to doing more with less pushing people to work harder for longer. This leads to burn out which harms productivity.

“This new survey highlights the symptoms of one of the most significant causes of slow productivity growth in Australia – poor management performance. Despite this issue being uncovered in many significant international and local studies, our Productivity Commission largely ignores it.

“It reinforces Harvard Business School findings that one of the biggest drags on Australia’s productivity is the underperformance of Australian managers, with badly managed firms dragging down Australia’s overall performance, particularly compared to the United States.

“That study found that over half of Australia’s total factor productivity gap with the US is due to poor management.

“Another joint Stanford University research study with the London School of Economics found that while Australia has some world leading management practices, we also have a long tail of badly managed firms dragging down our overall productivity performance, particularly compared to the US.

“Now we are seeing large numbers of Australian workers report their immediate managers lack the capacity to build collaborative workplaces, by involving workers in decision making and creating an environment where people feel they can do their best work.

“The reality is that large numbers of Australian workers deal with high workloads, constant pressure to work extra hours to the extent where 5.7 million workers say they feel burnt out at work.

“Addressing the performance and capacity of Australian management is a practical and immediate measure that could be taken to improve productivity.”

"Australian management dragging down productivity"

Yes... and definitely in the Public Service (still), so it would seem.

You Wouldn’t Believe What I Was Told at Work… (Whirlpool Forums).

"so… something happened at work yesterday that honestly left me feeling a bit sick.

I was literally told to stop doing something, because I was “showing people up." – This is by a manager (indirect, but 2 steps above my current role)

Not because it was wrong. Not because it was unnecessary. But because it was making others look bad by comparison.

I can’t tell you how disheartening it is to be made to feel like putting in effort, taking initiative, or trying to do a good job is somehow… a bad thing. Like I’m being punished for caring too much.

Just curious if this has ever happened to anyone, am I trying to hard? do I take a step back? I don't know what to do here... are my morals to high? expectations to high? is it me?"

I lol'd at this exchange:

"Public service right?"
"Howd you know"
"Pretty obvious.
My experience with Govt. dept's is often it's like a sheltered workshop.
Harsh but true.
Seems like you are too competent, start looking for a more challenging job, sounds like you have the work ethic to really succeed."

;D

And, finally...

"As a child my dad told me to work hard and you will get noticed and i've being trying to practice this moto at my new job, but not only has it gone unnoticed, all it encourages is laziness from other staff members who know you'll take up the slack."

Yep, been there... done that. Quite a few times during my working life.

Can't find fault in any of the criticisms of 'management' these days.

Carl D wrote on Jul 26^th, 2025 at 9:02am:

Australian management dragging down productivity" Yes... and definitely in the Public Service (still), so it would seem. You Wouldn’t Believe What I Was Told at Work… (Whirlpool Forums). "so… something happened at work yesterday that honestly left me feeling a bit sick. I was literally told to stop doing something, because I was “showing people up." – This is by a manager (indirect, but 2 steps above my current role) Not because it was wrong. Not because it was unnecessary. But because it was making others look bad by comparison. I can’t tell you how disheartening it is to be made to feel like putting in effort, taking initiative, or trying to do a good job is somehow… a bad thing. Like I’m being punished for caring too much. Just curious if this has ever happened to anyone, am I trying to hard? do I take a step back? I don't know what to do here... are my morals to high? expectations to high? is it me?"

Back when I used to paint, we could each comfortably prep and coat about 15 doors + frames per day. That includes all the time it takes to remove the hardware and fill any holes etc.. Once I shut down my business, I called one of my former employees, who was also a good friend,  just to see how he was doing. I called him at about 11am and when i asked him what he was doing, he told me was was sleeping under some benches at work. When I queried why he was sleeping and not working he explained that he had already done 3 doors, and that was all he was doing for the day. For his first week he was doing ten doors a day and all his colleagues started telling him off because he was making them look back. None of them did more then 2 doors a day.

My mate was promoted to supervisor after 6 months and given a company car which pissed his colleagues off even more, some of them had been there for years. He moved onto other work after about a year. The bludging drove him nuts.

John Smith wrote on Jul 26^th, 2025 at 10:03am:

Back when I used to paint, we could each comfortably prep and coat about 15 doors + frames per day. That includes all the time it takes to remove the hardware and fill any holes etc.. Once I shut down my business, I called one of my former employees, who was also a good friend,  just to see how he was doing. I called him at about 11am and when i asked him what he was doing, he told me was was sleeping under some benches at work. When I queried why he was sleeping and not working he explained that he had already done 3 doors, and that was all he was doing for the day. For his first week he was doing ten doors a day and all his colleagues started telling him off because he was making them look back. None of them did more then 2 doors a day. My mate was promoted to supervisor after 6 months and given a company car which pissed his colleagues off even more, some of them had been there for years. He moved onto other work after about a year. The bludging drove him nuts.

A clear case of workers dragging down productivity and I bet they would all say its management that is dragging down productivity.

Most workplace teams are at their productive peak when the manager is away.

That is because most management interference into work activity is unproductive.

John Smith wrote on Jul 26^th, 2025 at 10:03am:

Carl D wrote on Jul 26th, 2025 at 9:02am: Australian management dragging down productivity" Yes... and definitely in the Public Service (still), so it would seem. You Wouldn’t Believe What I Was Told at Work… (Whirlpool Forums). "so… something happened at work yesterday that honestly left me feeling a bit sick. I was literally told to stop doing something, because I was “showing people up." – This is by a manager (indirect, but 2 steps above my current role) Not because it was wrong. Not because it was unnecessary. But because it was making others look bad by comparison. I can’t tell you how disheartening it is to be made to feel like putting in effort, taking initiative, or trying to do a good job is somehow… a bad thing. Like I’m being punished for caring too much. Just curious if this has ever happened to anyone, am I trying to hard? do I take a step back? I don't know what to do here... are my morals to high? expectations to high? is it me?" Back when I used to paint, we could each comfortably prep and coat about 15 doors + frames per day. That includes all the time it takes to remove the hardware and fill any holes etc.. Once I shut down my business, I called one of my former employees, who was also a good friend,  just to see how he was doing. I called him at about 11am and when i asked him what he was doing, he told me was was sleeping under some benches at work. When I queried why he was sleeping and not working he explained that he had already done 3 doors, and that was all he was doing for the day. For his first week he was doing ten doors a day and all his colleagues started telling him off because he was making them look back. None of them did more then 2 doors a day. My mate was promoted to supervisor after 6 months and given a company car which pissed his colleagues off even more, some of them had been there for years. He moved onto other work after about a year. The bludging drove him nuts.

What a boring job -

you should have stayed at high school.   ::)

What is really happening? -

bosses run the company on a skeleton staff & then sack more people.

Bobby. wrote on Jul 26^th, 2025 at 1:23pm:

What is really happening? -

bobby,

It is obvious what the solution is......

Australia, must transform itself, morph itself, into a 'Command Economy'.

"Red tape is fun!
Red tape holds the nation together!"
- Bernard Woolley, YES MINISTER


Under the guidance of our dear leader, Comrade Albo [along with input, from his politburo members],
Australia would soon be transformed into a thriving, world leading economy.

You know this is true !
/sarc off

Leroy wrote on Jul 26^th, 2025 at 10:44am:

John Smith wrote on Jul 26th, 2025 at 10:03am: Back when I used to paint, we could each comfortably prep and coat about 15 doors + frames per day. That includes all the time it takes to remove the hardware and fill any holes etc.. Once I shut down my business, I called one of my former employees, who was also a good friend,  just to see how he was doing. I called him at about 11am and when i asked him what he was doing, he told me was was sleeping under some benches at work. When I queried why he was sleeping and not working he explained that he had already done 3 doors, and that was all he was doing for the day. For his first week he was doing ten doors a day and all his colleagues started telling him off because he was making them look back. None of them did more then 2 doors a day. My mate was promoted to supervisor after 6 months and given a company car which pissed his colleagues off even more, some of them had been there for years. He moved onto other work after about a year. The bludging drove him nuts. A clear case of workers dragging down productivity and I bet they would all say its management that is dragging down productivity.

I doubt management gave a crap, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to work out that if one person is only painting one or two doors a day, someone is bludging.

Bobby. wrote on Jul 26^th, 2025 at 1:01pm:

John Smith wrote on Jul 26th, 2025 at 10:03am: Carl D wrote on Jul 26th, 2025 at 9:02am: Australian management dragging down productivity" Yes... and definitely in the Public Service (still), so it would seem. You Wouldn’t Believe What I Was Told at Work… (Whirlpool Forums). "so… something happened at work yesterday that honestly left me feeling a bit sick. I was literally told to stop doing something, because I was “showing people up." – This is by a manager (indirect, but 2 steps above my current role) Not because it was wrong. Not because it was unnecessary. But because it was making others look bad by comparison. I can’t tell you how disheartening it is to be made to feel like putting in effort, taking initiative, or trying to do a good job is somehow… a bad thing. Like I’m being punished for caring too much. Just curious if this has ever happened to anyone, am I trying to hard? do I take a step back? I don't know what to do here... are my morals to high? expectations to high? is it me?" Back when I used to paint, we could each comfortably prep and coat about 15 doors + frames per day. That includes all the time it takes to remove the hardware and fill any holes etc.. Once I shut down my business, I called one of my former employees, who was also a good friend,  just to see how he was doing. I called him at about 11am and when i asked him what he was doing, he told me was was sleeping under some benches at work. When I queried why he was sleeping and not working he explained that he had already done 3 doors, and that was all he was doing for the day. For his first week he was doing ten doors a day and all his colleagues started telling him off because he was making them look back. None of them did more then 2 doors a day. My mate was promoted to supervisor after 6 months and given a company car which pissed his colleagues off even more, some of them had been there for years. He moved onto other work after about a year. The bludging drove him nuts. What a boring job - you should have stayed at high school.   ::)

when i want your opinion, i'll ask a brick .. it's already smarter then you anyway

John Smith wrote on Jul 26^th, 2025 at 1:58pm:

when i want your opinion, i'll ask a brick .. it's already smarter then you anyway

John,
you sound so gay - not that .....

Why can't you act like a man?

Bobby. wrote on Jul 26^th, 2025 at 2:11pm:

John, you sound so gay -

don't get excited goober, i'm not interested in you

Has a union-run survey of workers' opinions ever found that the workers are dragging down productivity?