Only 13.9% of Australian workers are willing to put in discretionary effort - to go above and beyond - according to survey findings recently released by Gartner's HR practice. It's a 3% drop from the same time period (July to September) last year, and puts Aussies' discretionary effort lower even than an already-low global average of 15.5%.

The reluctance to do more than the most basic requirements indicates what Gartner analysts describe as a decline in workforce health, brought about by than 18 months of stress, disruption, and uncertainty.

Read also: Are you ready to battle workplace burnout in 2022?

And it's going to result in an Aussie version of the 'Great Resignation', warns Aaron McEwan, vice president in the Gartner HR practice. “If there is any doubt that the ‘Great Resignation’ seen in the US is coming to Australia, this data dispels it," McEwan said. "It is likely there will be an increase in people leaving their jobs around March next year, once hiring picks up after the summer holidays and annual bonuses are paid."

What's making people unhappy?

They're burned out, and they're tired of it - and they're less shy about letting companies know that they won't put up with unfriendly policies and rigid implementation any more. Gartner's Global Labour Market Survey identified the top three drivers of attrition - and of falling discretionary effort - in Australia:

1. Manager quality
2. Work-life balance
3. Compensation

“Even when an organisation’s policies allow flexibility, the implementation often still comes down to the employee’s direct manager,” noted McEwan - echoing common complaints that insecure or insufficiently trained managers often strongly discourage or even outright refuse to let employees utilise the flexible working policies and benefits that are supposedly offered to them.

Interestingly, though, manager quality isn't among the top three drivers that attract workers to a company, possibly because it's something workers have to experience themselves in order to evaluate it. Instead, they look for:

1. Work-life balance
2. Location
3. Compensation