Key indicators of workplace wellness index have shown minimal movement across Australia and New Zealand in recent years, according to a recent survey.
The new 38-page "Gallagher's 2026 Workforce Trends Report: Workplace Wellbeing Index" reveals that across Australia and New Zealand, organisations continue to invest in employee wellbeing, yet not much progress has been achieved.
This lack of progress raises an important question for business leaders, are they focusing on the right drivers of performance?
The 2026 Workplace Trends report is the fifth edition of the survey and it is for the first time that it expands its data set to include New Zealand. This expansion makes the report, Australasia's largest and most comprehensive study of employee-employer relations in the region.
The latest edition looks at financial wellbeing in the region in greater detail. It examines one of the most critical (yet least visible) risks impacting workforce performance.
The current edition is based on responses from over 3,500 respondents spanning industries, seniority, tenure, age and gender, and this report highlights the critical role financial wellbeing plays in organisational performance, employee engagement and risk management.
This year's findings revealed that the workforce is under increasing financial pressure, with 63% of employees financially unwell, one in three holding second jobs and one in four experiencing burnout. These challenges are not just personal; they directly impact businesses' bottom lines, productivity and retention rates.
The research for the 2026 report showed that:
- 63% of employees are financially unwell, struggling to meet financial commitments and lacking security for the future.
- 32% are working while unwell because they can't afford not to.
- 37% say financial stress is impacting their sleep.
This no longer remains just a personal issue; it has become a business risk. Financial stress influences decision-making, productivity, safety outcomes and risk behaviour. In safety-critical or client-facing environments, this risk becomes even more material.
The report found that when a full-time employee isn't fully productive, a key trend that emerges is the rise of the side hustle economy. It found that:
One in three employees now have a secondary income. Nearly half rely on it to manage cost of living or debt. While often seen as a personal choice, or even entrepreneurial spirit, the organisational impact is clear. It can lead to reduced focus and cognitive capacity, increased fatigue, lower levels of creativity and problem-solving, and a decline in productivity per full-time employee. Put simply, employees spread across multiple income streams are less able to fully perform in their primary role.
Over one in four employees are experiencing burnout, and it's often only visible once the impact has already materialised. Burnout shows up through unplanned leave, Workers' Compensation claims, increased turnover and reduced engagement — and the cost is significant.
Replacing an employee can range from 50% to over 200% of salary, while psychological injury claims are up to five times longer and more expensive than others. This level of expense means burnout is more than a wellbeing issue; it's also a financial and operational exposure.