Six-step framework underpins best workplaces methodology

To achieve a high overall engagement score, an organisation must perform well across WorkL’s six-step framework: reward and recognition; instilling pride; information sharing; empowerment; wellbeing; and job satisfaction.

Organisations must perform consistently well as measured by a rigorous methodology in order to be chosen for inclusion in the list of The Australian Best Places to Work

The Australian Best Places to Work lists of Australia’s top employers are produced in partnership with the employee-experience platform WorkL, which helps organisations to recruit, and measure, track and improve staff engagement.

The Australian Best Places to Work survey uses 35 questions from WorkL’s employee engagement survey, developed by behavioural scientists, data analysts, psychologists, business leaders, academics and other independent parties to most accurately monitor employee engagement and wellbeing in the workplace.

■ The full list of The Australian Best Places to Work 2024 is here.

To achieve a high overall engagement score, an organisation must consistently perform well across WorkL’s six-step framework, encompassing:

1. Reward and Recognition

2. Instilling pride

3. Information-sharing

4. Empowerment

5. Wellbeing

6. Job satisfaction

It is not possible to trade off one dimension against another – in a highly engaged workplace, all six steps will be seen positively by employees, albeit to varying degrees. Each of WorkL’s six steps consists of between three and five key elements, which are measured on a 0-10 scale.

An organisation’s overall engagement score is the sum of all question responses, divided by the maximum possible value as a percentage.

This Australian Best Places to Work survey asks employees to respond to statements including:

● I am happy with the hours I work

● I am fairly paid

● I am recognised when I do something well

● I do something worthwhile

● I feel proud to work for my organisation

● Information is regularly and openly shared with me

● I have enough information (and training) to do my job

● My views are heard at work

● I understand the organisation’s plan

● I am trusted to make decisions

● I have what I need to do my job well

● My employer cares for my wellbeing

● I rarely feel anxious or depressed about work

● I feel happy at work

● I am treated with respect

● I have a good relationship with my manager

● I am being developed

● I work in a well-run organisation

The survey also includes demographic questions about management status, length of service, age, gender, ethnicity, and skippable disability and sexual orientation. This information offers organisations valuable insights into the sentiments of various demographic groups.

To be successfully accredited as a Australian Best Place to Work, organisations must achieve a minimum 70 per cent overall engagement score.

Our banding threshold is based on both independent and WorkL-commissioned research on employee engagement initiatives and is reinforced by WorkL’s benchmarking data of more than 85,000 organisations.

For an accurate representation of employee sentiment, organisations were required to send the survey to as many current employees as possible.