More than half of Australian workers would switch jobs in exchange for a pay increase of about 20 per cent, a new study has found.
Based on a survey of 1,000 full-time office workers, including in tech, the report by specialist recruiter Robert Half found that most Australian employees believe they aren’t being paid enough and would leave their job for a higher wage they feel they deserve.
“It’s clear that money still talks,” Robert Half director Nicole Gorton said.
“At a time when pay is a major consideration to combat the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, many employees prioritise job security as organisations strive to meet efficiency goals, further highlighting the tension between meeting financial desires and building a sustainable career while navigating ongoing job security concerns.”
The survey found that just over half of the respondents would change jobs if a higher salary was on offer.
Of these workers, the average pay rise required to jump ship is 22 per cent.
Five per cent of the workers said they would switch jobs for a wage boost of just 5 per cent, while for just over one in 10 a salary increase of more than 30 per cent would be required.
A tale of two types of workers
There are two stories to the data, Gorton said, with employees split nearly evenly between a focus on pay and job security.
“On one hand you have half of workers who will move roles for more money, reinforcing that money talks and during a cost-of-living crisis, salary remains as one of, if not the most, important factor when it comes to worker decision-making,” Gorton told Information Age.
“On the other hand, you have the other half that say they would not leave their job for more money, indicating that job security, employee satisfaction and moving for the right opportunity are equally as strong for the other half of workers.”
There is the potential for an exodus of staff due to dissatisfaction over wages, with nearly 60 per cent of respondents saying that their current salary is not an accurate reflection of their expertise, experience and level of responsibility.
“The research shows that many employees feel undervalued, pointing to a disconnect between what workers expect and what they’re currently being paid,” Gorton said.
“This sentiment is often stemming from stagnant wages despite growing responsibilities among leaner teams, or from a belief that their pay falls short of industry benchmarks for comparable roles.
“I believe we will see more people leaving their roles for the right opportunities, which depends on the hiring intentions and expansion plans of Australian businesses for tech talent.”
Nearly a third of the surveyed workers said they would still change jobs for the right opportunity even without an associated pay rise, while 48 per cent said they couldn’t be lured away just for a higher salary.
A wage disconnect
The report backs up previous findings that there may be an influx of Australian workers looking for a new job this year, with reports that more than three in five workers will be seeking different employment due to cost-of-living pressures and a general dissatisfaction at work.
Salaries in the tech sector declined in the last year, according to the 2025 Morgan McKinley Australian Salary Guide, due in part to laid off high-level tech workers accepting lower-tier jobs.
Despite this, tech workers in Australia are still among the highest paid in the country, and earn more than $20 per hour compared to employees in other industries.
There is also still a persistent gender pay gap in the tech sector, with recent data finding that just 21 per cent of Australian companies have achieved an average gender pay gap within the target range of -5 per cent to 5 per cent.
Also playing a part in worker departures is the implementation of return-to-office mandates, with more than a third of young Australians saying they would quit if they had to go back to the office full-time,
This “hybrid generation” was found to value work-life balance more highly than other age groups, with the majority pushing for hybrid work rather than working entirely remotely.
Return-to-office mandates played a key role in the recent federal election when the Coalition’s policy to force Canberra public servants back to the office backfired spectacularly.
