Which industries have the most engaged workers?

Sarah Michael
news.com.au
July 17, 2012

WHAT do soldiers, accountants and insurance brokers have in common?

They’re the most engaged workers in Australia, according to a new study by global firm Right Management.

The survey of 5330 Australian employees measured workers’ emotional and intellectual commitment to their job and to the success of their organisation.

The industry with the highest engagement was the armed forces at 50.4 per cent, followed by insurance at 49.1 per cent and accountancy 48.5 per cent.

Workers in biotechnology had the lowest engagement at 23.9 per cent, followed by the agriculture, hunting, forestry, fishing industry at 25.1 per cent and retail at 28.9 per cent.

Right Management general manager Bridget Beattie said armed forces rated so high because they had strong leadership at a macro level.

Accountants and insurance brokers rated well because of the type of work they do.

“[Insurance brokers] have been busy, think of all the claims they have been doing,” Ms Beattie said.

“[And accountants] have got lots of juicy work. They’re solving problems, clients are presenting them with a whole mix of issues.”

Ms Beattie said that high engagement was important because happy workers were more productive, easier to retain, and they gave customers a better experience which helped bottom line performance.

The report also found that the older workers are the more likely they are to be engaged.

“As you age, the data tends to suggest you work out how you want to be doing it or you make a change,” Ms Beattie said.

But the report also found that the longer a person works for an organisation the less engaged they become.

“You’ve got a honeymoon phase during that first year and then cold harsh reality starts to dawn on you, and you start notice the things that are less great,” Ms Beattie said.

“[Engagement] sort of plateaus out after the five-year mark. Then either you work to change it, or you leave or you stay and are disaffected.”

The top reasons workers become disengaged is because they don’t feel there is a career for them in their organisation, and they don’t think their job is aligned with their strengths, Ms Beattie said.

“A lot of people think they’re in the wrong job, but in the current climate people tend to keep quiet and say ‘Better to have a job’,” she said.

Overall engagement by industry

Armed Forces 50.4 per cent
Insurance (includes reassurance and broking) 49.1 per cent
Accountancy 48.5 per cent
Utilities (i.e. Electricity, Gas & Water Supply) 41.9 per cent
Legal services (law firms) 40.9 per cent
Other not-for-profit organisations (e.g. trade associations, charities) 40.6 per cent
Education 39.8 per cent
Mining & Quarrying (includes oil rigs and wells) 38.4 per cent
Healthcare & social work (e.g. Hospitals) 37.6 per cent
Australian Federal Government (e.g. Government departments and agencies) 37.5 per cent
Banking and Finance (excl Insurance) 35.7 per cent
IT 35.5 per cent
Manufacturing 35.3 per cent
Construction 34.7 per cent
Recreational, cultural & sporting activities 34.6 per cent
Pharmaceuticals 33.4 per cent
Restaurants, Hotels, Clubs & Gaming 32.4 per cent
Property & Real Estate 32.3 per cent
Other Professional Services (includes consultancy) 31.8 per cent
Australian State Government 31.7 per cent
Wholesale Trade 31.3 per cent
Transport & Storage (includes transport & logistics by land, sea & air) 31.0 per cent
Australian Local Government (councils) 29.4 per cent
Communication (includes telecoms and postal sectors) 29.2 per cent
Retail 28.9 per cent
Agriculture, Hunting, Forestry & Fishing industry 25.1 per cent
Biotechnology 23.9 per cent