We've seen a significant spike in hiring and applications across Australia & NZ within the last twelve months. This has been the strongest start to a year we've seen since the pandemic.
What's Inside.
Four chapters covering salary, retention, hiring, and the contract market across Australia & New Zealand.
& Pay
Brisbane overtakes Melbourne as second-highest paying city
Brisbane is riding a strong project pipeline, but the local talent pool has not kept pace with demand. Employers are increasingly looking to Sydney, Melbourne and beyond to fill the gap, and salaries are rising to make the move worth it.
AU/NZ is the only region where salary satisfaction rose
AU/NZ leads the US and UK on salary satisfaction — the only region to report higher satisfaction than last year. Brisbane’s score notably grew 5 points, becoming the highest ranking city across the region.
86% of professionals believe they are underpaid
When asked what they believe is a fair salary for their skills and experience, 86% of AU/NZ respondents named a figure higher than their current pay, with a median gap of $12,500.
The gender pay gap halved in a single year
Men earn $115k vs women's $105k. Brisbane lags heavily at 18.1% — the widest gap by city. Melbourne leads at 4.5%, falling within WGEA's target range of ±5%, where pay does not significantly favour either gender.
& Retention
Salary overtakes flexibility as the top factor motivating jobseekers
Top factors candidates weigh when considering opportunities. Salary overtook flexibility as the #1 priority, a major shift from 2025.
| # | Factor | 2026 | '25 Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Salary | 64.6% | was #4 ↑ |
| 2 | Flexibility & work-life balance | 53.7% | was #1 ↓ |
| 3 | Team culture | 39.9% | no change |
| 4 | Project pipeline & quality | 31.2% | new |
| 5 | Career progression | 29.3% | no change |
| 6 | Location / commute | 28.5% | was #8 ↑ |
| 7 | Values alignment | 27.4% | no change |
| 8 | Job security | 14.5% | was #9 ↑ |
| 9 | Training & development | 7.0% | no change |
| 10 | Holiday / PTO | 3.1% | no change |
% who selected (multi-select) · AU/NZ employed respondents
Employee wellbeing falls as industry confidence wavers
Six in ten Melbourne professionals are considering moving jobs
Melbourne is the easiest city to recruit in, 60% are open to a move. Brisbane tells the opposite story: low flight risk (45%) makes it a retention stronghold, but talent attraction is tougher.
A clear progression pathway is the number one loyalty driver
Career progression is the single highest predictor of candidate tenure.
Salary is the #1 reason people move jobs — but once they're in, it's not the strongest lever for keeping them. Career progression, mental health support, and feeling valued are all more predictive of whether someone stays.
& Workforce
Two in three employers say they cannot find the talent they need
Salary expectations and skills shortages dominate challenges. Brisbane hiring managers feel the squeeze most acutely at 71%, while Melbourne is more relaxed at 62%.
Staff want 2 days at home. Employers say 1.
Staff want 2 days from home — a 0.73-day gap employers can use as a hiring lever. Offering even one extra WFH day is a decisive differentiator.
Different generations require a different approach
One retention strategy won't work. Career progression matters 5× more to Gen Z than Boomers. Tailor by cohort.
Market
Contract hiring surges as the fastest-growing segment of the workforce
The contract workforce grew 25% YoY, from 6.4% to 8.0% of all employed respondents.
Source: Bespoke Careers — 321 contract vacancies, AU/NZ, last 12 months
Have a question?
Get in touch.
Our team leaders across Australia & New Zealand are here to help. Reach out to discuss your hiring needs, salary benchmarking, or anything in this report.
