8+ million Aussies want option to work Australia Day

Australia, January 2025 - Over eight million working Australians (70%) want the option to work on Australia Day, according to new research from global job site Indeed—but nearly three million of these workers (35%) don't have the choice.

Indeed's survey reveals that of those who do have the choice, approximately 3.4 million will clock in and not observe it as a public holiday, with the majority (86%) saying the main reason is to earn extra income. However, attitudes toward the cultural significance of the date also play a role, with over half (51%) saying they do not believe January 26 should be a day of celebration.

The survey found seven in 10 (69%) workers currently have the option to work on at least one public holiday, reflecting a growing workplace trend towards leave arrangements that align with employees' personal needs, beliefs, and values.

While Australia Day is by far the most common public holiday to have flexible work options, it's not the only one. Just under a quarter of workers also have the option to work on Christmas Day (23%), Easter Monday (22%), and Labour Day (22%).

Indeed's Career Expert, Sally McKibbin, says:

"More Australians are wanting to work on public holidays in favour of flexibility and earning extra income."

"Workers are increasingly pushing for the flexibility to choose which holidays they observe. It's a clear shift towards a more personalised approach to time off."

"Over half of Australian workers believe January 26 should no longer be a day of celebration. Flexible holiday policies allow workers to make choices that align with their personal beliefs."

ENDS

About the survey

The survey, commissioned by global job site Indeed and conducted by YouGov between 5—9 December 2024, includes a national representative sample of 1,034 Australian workers aged between 18-64. The data was weighted by age, gender, and region to reflect the latest ABS Australian population estimates. In this report, "working on Australia Day" means working on the Australia Day public holiday (which falls on Monday 27 January 2025).

About Indeed

More people find jobs on Indeed than anywhere else. Indeed is the #1 job site in the world (Comscore, Total Visits, March 2024). With over 580 million job seeker Profiles, people in more than 60 countries across 28 languages come to Indeed to search for jobs, post resumes, and research companies. Over 3.5 million employers use Indeed to find and hire new employees. 

Indeed is a subsidiary of Recruit Holdings, a global leader in HR technology and business solutions that is simplifying hiring and transforming the world of work.