As Australians embrace new ways of working and technology such as AI that enables them to do so, new research by Slack unveils the five personas of Australian employees, characterised by different ways of working, approaches and quirks that are recognisable across every workplace.
The Workplace Personas Research, based on a global survey that included over 1,000 Aussie desk workers, showed that the nation can be divided into five distinct ‘workplace personalities’: The Detective, The Networker, The Road Warrior, The Problem Solver and The Expressionist.
The top three personas found in Australian workplaces are The Detective (31%), The Networker (25%) and The Road Warrior (21%). Naturally curious and outcome-driven, Detectives are best at digging up information (41%) compared to 20% of all workers. Typically, The Networker is described as best at connecting everyone with the information required (69%) compared to 2 out of 5 of all workers. Finally, The Road Warrior describes themselves as adaptable (81%), and says flexibility is the most important thing to them (76%), 35% higher than any other persona.
Across the board, it was clear from the research that Aussie employees will have their own, unique ways of working, but ultimately share the same goals: effortlessly engaging with colleagues, sharing knowledge and accelerating their day-to-day tasks.
| Meet the Personas | Australia % | Global % | |
| The Detective | This group drives to find solutions and answers, sharing information with others. Being naturally curious is within their wheelhouse and they are always in the know. | 31% | 30% |
| The Networker | This persona is the social butterfly of any workplace. The Networker is known for being highly collaborative, engaged and extroverted, always making sure that teams have the information they might need. | 25% | 22% |
| The Road Warrior | Flexible and yet always approachable, The Road Warrior is always working from different locations and is skilled at developing and fostering connections remotely and virtually. This persona is eager to use modern workplace tools. | 21% | 22% |
| The Problem Solver | The Problem Solver has a hack for everything and is obsessed with saving time. Disliking repetitive tasks in the workplace, automation is their best friend. This persona is the most likely to be excited about the adoption of AI at work. | 13% | 16% |
| The Expressionist | Living for less formal communication methods and a strong preference for visuals, The Expressionist has never not used an emoji, GIF or meme. Fun and witty messages are their bread and butter – allowing them to express who they are and make sure their message is received as intended. | 10% | 10% |
Derek Laney, APAC Technology Evangelist, Slack said, “Slack’s Workplace Personas Research shows whether you have five or 5,000 employees within your business, every workplace has an entire ecosystem of personalities, working styles and skill sets. No two employees are alike. Diverse teams are productive teams and you need a platform that enables a range of different styles of work to be successful.
“Understanding each other’s communications styles allows for a more inclusive and productive team. Having a range of workplace personas not only makes our work days more interesting, but allows for different strengths to come together.”
The research found that the way desk workers view technology varies greatly across the personas, with over a quarter (29%) of Aussie employees surveyed already using AI in the workplace, 3% higher than the global average. Problem Solvers and Expressionists are using AI the most within the workplace.
Additionally, around 3 in 5 (58%) workers said that they expect to use AI in the future and nearly a third (31%) think their company will use AI at some point in the future.
While there is a high level of excitement and anticipation around AI, workers feel that employers are not doing enough to mitigate their concerns (73%), and 4 out of 5 workers globally worry to some extent about AI.
Most desk workers, particularly those who are younger across all personas, have positive attitudes towards the adoption of technology in the workplace, seeking out training from multiple sources. However, just under half of those over the age of 55 revealed that they do not plan to use AI in the future.
Derek adds: “Our data shows that AI is increasingly being adopted in the workplace, however teams are worried about data security and AI’s accuracy. Closing this adoption gap and addressing worries is imperative so that employees are less likely to feel overwhelmed by technology and more likely to feel productive and energised in the workplace.
“Today’s leaders must embrace the AI scepticism that comes from all perspectives and refocus on ways to engage all personas. The great news is that while workers’ concerns are valid, there are many things that employers can do to mitigate these fears, with education and actually using AI at the top of this list.”
The modern workplace has significantly and irrevocably changed in Australia and across the world, but the workday itself has found a new groove, powered by the workplace personas that show up every day.
To read more and gain valuable insights on Australia’s workplace personas, go to slack.com/intl/en-au/blog/productivity/2023-office-personas.
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