Survey reveals what Aussies do when no one’s watching
From porn habits to workplace gossip, the surprising truth about who's breaking the rules most often has been revealed. Have your say.
Most people give in to a bad habit every once in a while, but fresh data reveals exactly how often Australians are lying, gossiping, or imbibing – as well which generation and which of the sexes are most guilty.
The survey of almost 9000 Australians by News Corp Australia’s Growth Intelligence Centre (GIC) reveals the generational and gender gaps in our bad habits, including men being significantly more likely to watch porn than women at 40 per cent, compared to 14 per cent of women.
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Men are more likely to use dating apps just to ‘browse’, with 18 per cent admitting to the practice compared to just 10 per cent of women.
Dating expert Sera Bozza said the practice offers “cheap validation and the illusion of choice, without the risk of failing in real life”.
“Men are still socialised to measure status by how many options they have, even if those options never turn into relationships,” Ms Bozza told news.com.au.
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Ms Bozza said the gulf in porn consumption tells a similar story, offering “intimacy without the work: no rejection, no negotiation, no vulnerability.”
Women didn’t get off scot-free though when it comes to romance, with 33 per cent of women admitting to social media snooping on exes, frenemies and strangers, compared with 22 per cent of men.
Ms Bozza called the harmful practice the “digital equivalent of scratching at a scar” and said it was “a form of self-betrayal”.
“It feels harmless, but it keeps the wound open,” she said.
“Our brains fixate on unfinished stories, and looking up an ex keeps that story alive. You never get closure because you’re still inside the narrative.”
Men and women were more unified when it came to their workplace behaviours, 24 per cent of those surveyed admitting to gossiping about colleagues at work.
The practice was most apparent in Gen Z employees, 41 per cent admitting to the behaviour in what workplace expert Aaron McEwan said is more a reflection of “life stage than a generational difference”.
“Building a social network is incredibly important to younger adults,” Mr McEwan said.
“A lot of young people meet and form their friendships with their work colleagues, and they probably do that to a degree through gossiping.”
Gen Z employees were also the top culprits when it came to not actually working while WFH and chucking a ‘sickie’.
Mr McEwan, a behavioural scientist and vice president at advisory firm Gartner, said employees can avoid work in these subversive ways due to overworking and pressure on productivity.
“There are incredibly high rates of burnout and mental health challenges at work,” he said.
“Whether it’s intentional or not, I think the message being delivered to workplaces is that the robots are coming for your job and everything is about productivity.”
“What that has meant is that people are not necessarily taking their holidays or their opportunities to take a break in a formal sense.”
As a result of younger generations having less stigma about taking a “mental health day,” Mr McEwan said Gen Z can be less likely to work until they drop.
“Taking a sickie might, in fact, have some benefits for organisations in terms of being able to sustain performance over a period of time without burning out.”
“If (employees) are not taking time off on a regular basis that they’re entitled to, that actually represents quite a significant risk to organisational productivity and performance.”
Originally published as Survey reveals what Aussies do when no one’s watching
