Are tech workers happier now than in 2020?

Yes, they are, according to new research launched by Modis Australia. The study shows that Australian tech workplace happiness has trended markedly upwards over the past 12 months, especially compared to non-tech workers.

The finding is based on a global survey of 14,800 office-based workers across 25 countries, including 1000 Australians, which informs Modis Australia’s white paper ‘Resetting normal: defining the new era of work 2021’.

Tech workplace happiness increasing

Workplace happiness is trending up, with most tech workers experiencing improvements in the last year across work, mental wellbeing, morale, company pride and team culture.

The findings show Australian tech industry workers are twice as likely as those not in tech to say their workloads have improved (65% vs 33%) and they have a better sense of job security (65% vs 31%) compared to this time last year.

They are also saying their mental health is better (68% vs 39%), their relationships with their colleagues are better (66% vs 37%), their pride in their company has improved (67% vs 38%), and their sense of team culture and morale has increased (62% vs 35%).

Preeti Bajaj, Managing Director at Modis Australia, said the shift to remote or hybrid work arrangements over the last year and a half has been a key driver of this difference in workplace happiness between tech and non-tech workers.

“Those of us who work in the tech industry often have an innate level of interest in technological innovation — including an enthusiasm for trialling and adopting new technologies in our day-to-day lives. When it comes to tech, we are likelier to be the first adopters, quite understandably,” she said.

“Our research suggests that over the past year and a half, Australian tech workers have been well-positioned to enjoy the rewards of their native passion for technology. They have fortunately found it a little easier than non-tech workers to adapt to and thrive in a workplace environment that is becoming increasingly virtual first,” said Bajaj.

Satisfaction with tech leadership

In terms of leadership, tech workers are also more satisfied with their managers’ or employers’ performance over the last 12 months.

They say their managers met or exceeded expectations when it came to supporting their career development (71% vs 41%), allocating time and resources for training and upskilling (72% vs 45%) and having a learning or growth mentality (70% vs 47%).

Bajaj said existing experience in the world of hybrid work has helped drive the strong performance of tech industry leaders over the past year.

“Tech leaders and teams are more likely to have had experience with hybrid working even prior to 2020 — for example, with software engineers working on client sites. This means the change to virtual work hasn’t been as big of a stretch for tech leaders and workers as it has been for others,” she said.

“Additionally, teams in the tech industry do tend to have a flatter hierarchy, which empowers workers. These flatter hierarchies mean leaders are more likely to enable and empower their employees, delivering a healthy culture and close collaboration with the leadership team,” said Bajaj.

“Globally, 32% of workers say their mental health has deteriorated over the last 12 months — and this figure rises to 54% when it comes to young leaders — so it’s reassuring to see that tech workplaces in Australia are bucking the global trend. Our tech leadership is getting it right,” she said.^[i]

^[i]https://www.modis.com/en-au/news-and-insights/articles/can-cognitive-tech-make-work-feel-more-human/

Image credit: ©stock.adobe.com/au/pololia