One in five Aussies changed their jobs in 2021, and a quarter are considering leaving their workplace this year, according to data from National Australia Bank. The top reasons cited for wanting to jump ship include a lack of personal fulfilment, career limitations, and mental health concerns. Other key drivers include lack of work-life balance, burnout, and needing a fresh start.

These statistics represent a stark warning for organisations waiting for life to go back to the way it was. The reality is, it won’t.

The mass move to decentralised work taught us two valuable lessons, according to Wallace. “Firstly, we know ourselves better: what makes us happy, what types of work give us satisfaction, what we need to evolve and grow,” she explains. “Secondly, we expect our employer to have followed this personal journey and know us better too.”

Aussie workers are rewriting the social contract they have with their employers, shaping a very different vision for how they “show up” at work. Wallace’s analysis identifies the rise of an employee-employer relationship that prioritises trust and “whole-self” transparency.

Employees are seeking the harmony state, where individual fulfilment and productivity are in perfect balance—the former enabling the latter. They are prioritising physical and mental health and relationships alongside wealth and their careers. They want to use their days more effectively, engage in more creative pursuits, and solve real problems for themselves and others.