Employee engagement

Drivers and outcomes of engagement

Many factors influence engagement, including the quality of leadership, a positive and inclusive work culture, manager support, accountability and flexible work. Analysis of results from the 2025 Working for Queensland (WfQ) survey indicate the key drivers for engagement were:

• feeling respected and included at work (73%)
• organisational focus on employee wellbeing (63%)
• equal opportunity to succeed (68%)
• meaningful work (71%)
• leadership capability and trust (43%).

These results show that employees value workplaces where they feel respected, included and recognised for their contributions. They also place importance on having meaningful work, knowing their organisation prioritises their wellbeing, and having equal opportunities to succeed. Leadership behaviours, such as creating an environment where employees feel heard, play a significant role in fostering engagement

Employees who report higher engagement are consistently more likely to also report positive wellbeing and lower intention to leave. High levels of engagement are also associated with improved organisational outcomes, including employees contributing extra effort, innovation, continuous improvement and working together to manage workload.

Conversely, decreasing levels of engagement are associated with increased unplanned absenteeism, intention to leave and poor performance at the individual, team and organisational levels.

Meaningful work

Meaningful work remains a defining feature of public sector employment. Employees who perceive their work as meaningful are more likely to be engaged, productive and committed.

In 2025, 79% of employees agreed that their work had a positive impact on the lives of the people of Queensland. This highlights the strong connection between employees’ sense of meaning in their work and their belief that their individual contributions make a positive difference.