Ethics and integrity data
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Most respondents to the 2025 Working for Queensland (WfQ) survey continue to view their workplaces as grounded in ethical behaviour and integrity. Confidence around ethical behaviour has remained broadly stable compared with previous years, suggesting that core integrity frameworks, policies, and leadership messaging are well embedded across the sector.
While perceptions of integrity and ethical conduct have improved over time, a proportion of respondents continue to report neutral or negative views. This indicates there is still an opportunity to strengthen employee confidence in ethical standards, accountability and the consistent application of expected behaviours across the sector.
Leadership in ethics and integrity
Consistent with prior years, perceptions of leadership in ethics and integrity vary by employee role and seniority. Senior leaders and managers report the highest levels of confidence in ethical leadership, reflecting both their proximity to decision-making and their role in shaping organisational culture. Team leaders generally report moderately positive perceptions, though often with greater variability. This may reflect the dual pressure of implementing directives while managing operational challenges.
Individual contributors tend to report lower levels of confidence in leadership on ethics and integrity. The gap shows that senior leader expectations and behaviours may not always be observable to staff at the operational level. Employees may also have less visibility of decision-making processes, so that the ethical issues considered in reaching a decision are less obvious.
Overall, positive perceptions of leadership tend to rise with the seniority of the respondent. This highlights the importance of strengthening communication, visibility, and consistency of ethical leadership behaviours across all levels of the workforce.
Bullying
The 2025 WfQ survey results indicate the experience of bullying has remained relatively stable over the past few years. Only a small number of respondents have experienced bullying, with 5% currently experiencing it and 10% having experienced it in the past. Despite this, reported experiences of bullying and employee perceptions of the reporting process remain areas of focus.
| Responses | 2023 % | 2023 Count | 2024 Count | 2024 % | 2025 Count | 2025 % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yes, and I am currently experiencing this behaviour | 6% | 3,430 | 2,872 | 5% | 2830 | 5% |
| Yes, but I am not experiencing it now | 11% | 6,513 | 6,139 | 10% | 5775 | 10% |
| No | 78% | 47,350 | 47,832 | 80% | 45,444 | 79% |
| Don't know | 5% | 3,114 | 3,047 | 5% | 3,347 | 6% |
Source: WfQ 2023–2025.
In both 2024 and 2025, only 13% of respondents who experienced bullying chose to submit a formal complaint. There has been a small increase of 2% in 2025 in the proportion of respondents who found the process of formal reporting to be fair and transparent and a 5% increase in the proportion of respondents who found the process to be respectful.
| Question | % Positive | vs 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| You said that you have formally reported your experience. To what extent do you agree that the process of formal reporting was fair | 25% | +2 |
| You said that you have formally reported your experience. To what extent do you agree that the process of formal reporting was transparent | 24% | +2 |
| You said that you have formally reported your experience. To what extent do you agree that the process of formal reporting was respectful | 34% | +5 |
Source: WfQ 2025.
Overall, these findings reinforce the need for proactive prevention strategies, including leadership capability development, early intervention mechanisms, and strong speak-up cultures.
Sexual harassment
The experience of workplace sexual harassment remains low, with only 2% of survey respondents reporting that they have experienced it during the last 12 months. Of those respondents who experienced that behaviour, 18% chose to formally report the behaviour in 2025, up from 16% in 2024.
| Responses | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yes, and I am currently experiencing this behaviour | 0.4% | 0.35% | 0.28% |
| Yes, but I am not experiencing it now | 2% | 2% | 2% |
| No | 96% | 96% | 96% |
| Don't know | 2% | 2% | 2% |
Source: WfQ 2023–2025.
The increase in formal reporting of workplace sexual harassment is a positive development. However, the quality of the reporting process and the experience of those involved have significantly declined over the past year. Perceptions of fairness in the formal reporting process decreased by ten percentage points, while perceptions of transparency and respectfulness declined by five percentage points and seven percentage points, respectively.
| Question | % Positive | vs 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| You said that you have formally reported your experience. To what extent do you agree that the process of formal reporting was fair | 41% | −10 |
| You said that you have formally reported your experience. To what extent do you agree that the process of formal reporting was transparent | 42% | −5 |
| You said that you have formally reported your experience. To what extent do you agree that the process of formal reporting was respectful | 46% | −7 |
Source: WfQ 2025.
The data underscores the importance of maintaining clear and strong reporting pathways and making sure that employees know and trust these systems. Contact officer networks for employees who have experienced sexual harassment have been in place for almost two years.
These networks are trained employees who provide an important source of support for affected employees and ensuring their ongoing effectiveness remains a priority for the sector.
Racism and discrimination
The proportion of survey respondents who indicated they had experienced racism or discrimination due to disability, sexual orientation, gender, age or cultural background remained relatively stable in 2025. The only change was a one percentage point increase in those experiencing discrimination based on age, increasing to 7% of respondents.
The results highlight the importance of continuing to prevent and respond to discrimination and ensure all employees are treated fairly. Inclusive leadership and clear accountability remain important in creating respectful and inclusive workplaces.
Conduct and performance data
Conduct and performance data from the Conduct and Performance Excellence (CaPE) framework provides additional insight into integrity across the workforce. The data shows that most employees meet conduct standards, with only a small fraction reported for severe breaches.
In 2025, the most common outcomes of reported matters were ‘management action’ followed by ‘no further action’ and ‘discipline’.
Analysis of these categories suggests that most issues arise not from deliberate unethical intent but from a lack of capability, behaviour or workplace culture factors. This reinforces the importance of early intervention, clear expectations, and strong people management practices.
CaPE data also highlights that fostering a culture of integrity is not solely about compliance and enforcement. Leaders must build their capability, support employees in meeting expectations, and cultivate environments that consistently model and reinforce respectful, ethical behaviour.
CaPE data is reported in 3 categories:
- Category 2: Ongoing or repeated conduct or performance that is not meeting expectations or is inconsistent with employee standards described in the Code of Conduct. It includes careless or negligent performance of duties. It does not include willful or malicious conduct
- Category 3(a): Serious neglect of duties and performance or serious misconduct inconsistent with our employee standards described in the Code of Conduct. It includes behaviour that is willful, reckless or malicious that raises concerns about an employee’s suitability for ongoing employment.
- Category 3(b): Conduct that is in breach of criminal law but does not include corrupt conduct.