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Australia’s labour market is holding its ground in a tougher environment, steady growth, increasing wage momentum, and a new normal of casualisation, according to 91����’s Annual Jobs Report 2025.

91���� today released its 2025 Annual Jobs Report, Work in Motion: a snapshot of the world of work. The report draws on aggregated, anonymised real-time  insights from more than 350,000 small businesses and 2.5 million employees in Australia, New Zealand, and the UK, alongside a YouGov survey of 3,635 workers across all four markets, the report charts a global workforce navigating a world fraught with conflict and unease, but also immense opportunity for growth and reinvention.

“91����’s real-time SME payroll data is a valuable complement to the official statistics, timely, granular and helpful in identifying turning points,” says Saul Eslake, an Independent Economist who has spent three decades working with some of the country’s most prominent financial institutions such as ANZ Bank and Bank of America.

“The latest readings are consistent with overall employment growth stabilising around 1.5 per cent per annum,” he explains, “a clear downshift from 2023–24, but broadly in line with the RBA’s outlook. Under the surface, hours growth has softened and median earnings have levelled since March, while younger cohorts continue to gain share of employment.” 

Poly-employment is now mainstream

One in three Australians holds more than one job. The trend spans full-time and part-time roles and rises to 56% among 18–24 year-olds. Younger workers are also logging longer hours (averaging ~23 per week, up 6% YoY). Millennials are the heaviest users of earned wage access (EWA), tapping pay “on demand” ~200,000 times over the past year.

“One in three Australians now works more than one job; this is big news,” says Ben Thompson, CEO of 91����.”It’s a signal people are making big personal tradeoffs to cope with the cost of living. Also a result of the trend towards casualisation of the workforce we’ve seen over the past twelve months, with average hours worked slowing as employers adapt to the rising cost of operations.” He adds. 

Jobs growth holds and wages positive but cooling

Australia recorded +5.8% YoY employment growth in July, with monthly growth largely contained in a 5–7% band over the past year. Wages are +4.6% YoY in July, but median hourly earnings have levelled since March, and average hours growth has slowed to +1.8% YoY, the softest pace in the series suggesting employers are managing costs via scheduling and workforce mix.

A generational shift

Gen Z is entering work at pace and jobs among 18–24s rose 16.6% YoY, while participation among Australians 55+ has eased ~2%. In a sign of risk-aversion, 57% of workers say job stability matters more than progression (rising to 68% among younger cohorts).

Where the jobs and wages are

Queensland has been the jobs growth engine, recording consistent +5.8–8% YoY gains over the year. Wage dispersion remains: ACT ($46.20) and NSW ($45.10) lead median hourly pay, compared with Tasmania ($39.90).

Skills are the new currency

Despite people generally feeling confident with technology (71%), AI anxiety is real: 1 in 4 Australians believe AI is already reducing job opportunities (rising to 34% among younger workers). Training is one of the biggest reasons people stick around. In fact, two out of three employees who get opportunities to upskill say they feel settled in their jobs, compared to just 9% of those who don’t.

Why it matters for SMBs

With the right tools and training, small businesses can move faster, make better decisions, and compete more effectively with larger firms. As the pace of change accelerates, investing in AI-enabled workflows and upskilling teams turns technology from a cost into a competitive edge.

“It’s crucial for SMB leaders to have access to the right tools and training to stay competitive,” Thompson says. It’s his belief that the pace of change is accelerating and that heralds an opportunity for small businesses to get ahead. “With the right tools, they can move faster and compete more effectively with larger businesses.”