Construction has been named the most attractive sector to work for in Australia, according to Randstad’s Employer Brand Research.

An independent survey by Employer Brand Research reveals over 6,000 Australian workers over half (54%) identified construction as the most attractive sector to work for, tied with transport and logistics (54%) and closely followed by human health and social work activities (52%).

This is a shift from 2023 when almost half (48%) of Australians identified the public sector as the most attractive place to work, with government agencies taking six of the top ten spots.

“While we know from our research that a decent salary is one of the top motivators for 59% of Aussie workers, it’s not surprising, given daily headlines about redundancies that Aussies are feeling too risk-averse to jump jobs for better pay,” Randstad’s construction and engineering division director Clayton Colbert says.

“For the one in five who are prepared to make a move, it’s important your CV stands out from the crowd. Bear in mind that a lot of businesses are adopting a skills-based hiring approach, focusing less on experience and more on the skills required to do the job. So, employees must figure out what makes their skill set special and how to best define their brand in this context.”

The construction companies leading the way include CPB Contractors, Ventia and UGL for job security, financial health, attractive salaries and work-life balance, which are important drivers for 56%, 43%, 59% and 64% of Australians, respectively.