Jobs in Australia where employees feel the happiest or most stressed

Hospitality and retail workers enjoy their jobs a lot more than those who opted for call centres or government offices, a new study has revealed. 

Staff management app Deputy released its annual Shift Pulse Report for 2024 this week which analyses global employee satisfaction. 

The company got its data from more than 500,000 Aussie workers who were asked about how their shifts went as they were clocking off. 

Cafe and hospitality jobs topped the list of happiest places to work while the likes of government, construction and call centre jobs scored lowest on worker satisfaction. 

Of the top two industries, the majority of hospitality workers responded to the shift-end survey by stating that they felt ‘amazing’, though retail workers showed slightly higher levels of stress. 

Café workers were the happiest because their jobs are social and respected, Deputy’s Chief Customer Officer, Katrina Holt, said.

‘Australia is known for its world-class coffee and love of cafe culture, so it’s not surprising that the sector has topped the list of happiest workers,’ Ms Holt said.

‘The sociable nature of cafe work, along with opportunities for creativity and working in a vibrant atmosphere, have contributed to these workers feeling the most satisfied at the end of their shifts.’ 

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Lucas Sullivan, Head of Retail at coffee chain Single O, told 7News that his was ‘a job like no other’.    

‘We serve as a community hub, not only for local customers but also for tourists and travellers from around the world,’ he said.

‘Being directly involved in that and brightening their days is what really makes us tick.’

Employees at gyms and in fast food reported similar levels of job satisfaction with at least 57 per cent of staff at each saying they routinely enjoyed their shifts. 

Government, call centre and construction workers were consistently answering Deputy’s survey in the opposite direction, however. 

As much as 16 per cent of government workers ended their shift on either a stressed or frustrated note, as did 11 per cent of call centre employees which was up from 4 per cent in 2023. 

Workers in each of these industries cited challenging work conditions as the main reason for their dissatisfaction. 

Among the states and territories surveyed 87 per cent of people who worked in the Northern Territory said they felt ‘amazing’ after their shifts. 

In Tasmania it is the polar opposite with workers feeling the highest levels of stress and frustration, according to the report.