WorkUP Queensland Workforce Survey 2025 Overview

A compelling story of a capable and courageous workforce

WorkUP recently undertook it’s fourth workforce survey to provide a continued evidence-based understanding of the characteristics, challenges and needs of our workforce in Queensland.

This survey serves three critical purposes:

1. Provides insight into the characteristics of the workforce and highlights the strengths and unique ways of working.
2. Identifies the challenges that impact attraction and retention and signposts where greater care, investment, or structural change is needed.
3. Provides continued direction to WorkUP to inform and shape activities and strategies to strengthen and grow the workforce.

Throughout the report a range of WorkUP initiatives to grow, strengthen and sustain the workforce are showcased aligning with emerging survey themes.

What did we learn?

The survey data tells a compelling story: the workforce is values and purpose driven and the sector has the elements required to sustain its workforce.

The results highlight the hard work the sector has done to create exceptional workplaces that are deeply engaged, where teams work well together and workers are resilient.

Leaders emerge as a clear strength, who play a vital role in creating and sustaining wellbeing and employee engagement; and supporting and protecting their teams in challenging conditions. This underscores the skill of leaders in understanding the risks of psychosocial hazards and being proactive to mitigate the risks to their workers.

The workforce is growing, and while this growth is necessary, it impacts workplaces and workers in terms of onboarding time, workload, response times, waitlists, and overall workplace stability and relationships. This continued growth will require ongoing support to strengthen pathways into the sector.

Within the data there is also caution – the workforce is experiencing exhaustion and reports workload and time pressure, understaffing and a high administrative burden. This is compounded by increasing complexity and demand, ongoing challenges related to recruiting key roles and ensuring the right experience and skills.  Workers signpost that they feel their wellbeing would likely be worse off in 12 months’ time.

The story is one of courage and capability which should be recognised, resourced and celebrated.  We must also listen when stress is signalled and focus our collective efforts on responding to these challenges, building on the clear strengths of the sector.

What’s next

The survey highlights pain points for further discussion, planning and action at the sector and workplace level, some of these include:

• Opportunities for career advancement and promotion appear limited which risks stalling the progression of future leaders.
• The workforce profile is diverse but requires tailored approaches at the sector and workplace level to ensure environments where all workers can thrive.
• Supervision is critical for practitioners and leaders in the work they do and needs to be accessible for all workers.
• The continued growth of the workforce impacts workplaces and existing workers and requires an ongoing focus to strengthen pathways into the sector.
• Leaders are critical to the wellbeing and performance of workers and ongoing and targeted strategies are needed to continue to support and nurture their development.
• The safety and wellbeing of workers is critical, data indicates workers are witnessing or experiencing harassment or bullying in the workplace.

To explore these challenges together and shape practical strategies and actions to continue to grow, develop and support the workforce please join us at our upcoming strategic workforce planning workshops.

Get involved. Lead the change. Let’s shape the future of our workforce together.

We thank the Queensland Domestic and Family Violence, Sexual Violence and Women’s Health and Wellbeing specialist workforce for participating in this survey and sharing their thoughtful and detailed perspectives and pay thanks to the WorkUP reference group for their generous support and insights.

Access the 2025 Workforce Survey report here.

I like… I wish… I wonder…

Co-creating our Strategic Workforce Plan

Over the last year, WorkUP has delivered a wide range of initiatives to support workforce development across our sector. But we want to know — where to now?

Have you ever reflected on:

• What do you like about what WorkUP has delivered over the last year? 

• What do you wish were other workforce development activities WorkUP could deliver?

• Have you wondered how WorkUP can respond to the needs of the sector? 

If these questions have crossed your mind — you’re already engaging in the visioning that drives strategic workforce planning.

Now, we want to hear from you.

We’re inviting you to be part of the conversation. Your insights, experiences, and ideas are crucial as we co-create the next phase of our Strategic Workforce Plan. This is your opportunity to influence the direction of workforce development across the sector — and to engage with peers who are also passionate about creating meaningful change.

Come together, share your voice and as a collective, identify and reflect on the sector’s needs, both now and forecasting into the future. The feedback and insights from these workshops will directly shape the resources, professional development and priorities of WorkUP.

Every conversation matters.

Join us at one of our 3-hour strategic workforce planning workshops, in the location closest to you.

Click here for more information and to register.

WorkUP Queensland Reference Group – Expressions of Interest Now Open

WorkUP is seeking expressions of interest from workers in the domestic and family violence, sexual violence and women’s health and wellbeing sector to become a member of our Reference Group. Our Reference Group is a key component of the governance of WorkUP, with its members offering insights to help shape our priorities and objectives.

Through providing insights, input and feedback on emerging workforce issues, our Reference Group informs the development of our workforce plans and strategies.

Our Reference Group members work collaboratively to share their unique insights and experiences. We aim to reflect the diversity of our sector across the membership of the Reference Group, by bringing together people from varied experiences, job types and services from different parts of the state. Bringing in the many diverse voices makes for deep conversations and valued sector input.

The Reference Group meetings are a full day commitment, around three times a year, twice online with one face-to-face meeting.

We are grateful to our Reference Group members and want to acknowledge the wisdom shared by those who have recently moved on. As a result, we are looking to fill three positions.

To learn more about the role of our Reference Group, read through our Terms of Reference and Application Process and to apply, fill out our online application here WorkUP Queensland Reference Group EOI.

Expressions of interest for our Reference Group will close November 20^th, so please contact Louise Villanova at Louise@healingfoundation.org.au if you have any questions or want to know more about the membership.

Helping You Find, Welcome, and Support Great Staff 

One of the key workforce survey findings was that our Queensland workforce is growing. This growth is positive but comes with challenges like onboarding new staff, managing workloads and waitlists, and keeping workplaces stable and connected.

That’s why we want to remind you: We’re here to help!

Recruiting new workers is no small task. We know your time is precious, and every step—advertising, shortlisting, interviewing, reference checking, onboarding—takes careful attention.

The Workforce Capability Framework makes recruitment easier by giving you a clear picture of what ‘good’ looks like, helping you write position descriptions, run interviews with confidence, and keep the whole process fair, transparent, and values focused.

Our recent survey also highlighted the importance of values alignment—people want to work in roles with purpose. The framework goes beyond skills and knowledge, helping you focus on what really matters. The Job Interview Question Bank includes values-based questions that give you a sense of candidates’ alignment with your organisation and the sector.

Check out the Workforce Capability Framework and resources, and contact workforce@healingfoundation.org.au for support using these tools.

Recruitment is just the first step. The sector Induction Program is a great complement to your organisational induction. It provides a positive introduction to the people, purpose, and resources that make our sector unique. We have a one last Welcome to Our Sector induction series before the end of the year, so register your news workers now.

Let’s make recruiting and onboarding smoother, values-aligned, and more connected.

Essential Professional Development Resources for Supporting Women with Disability 

Our sector plays a pivotal role in ensuring women experiencing domestic, family, and sexual violence receive the support they need. Recognising the unique experiences and needs of women with disability, WorkUP Queensland has developed a dedicated collection of high-quality, practical resources to help workers and services respond in ways that are inclusive, safe, and effective.

The DFV and Disability section of the WorkUP QLD Resource Hub offers a suite of free, evidence-based tools—videos, fact sheets, and good practice guides—to build workforce capability across the sector. The resources cover key areas such as recognising signs of abuse, responding appropriately, understanding gendered violence through an intersectional lens, and creating accessible, disability-inclusive services.

A highlight of the resources is the Prevent, Recognise, Respond, Refer video series, featuring the lived experiences and insights of women with disability. These firsthand accounts offer powerful learning for all workers. Hear from Elisha who reminds us that women with disability have a right to feel safe and happy, and Karin, who provides helpful tips to support accessibility. Other resources explore the experiences of children and young people with disability, making them especially valuable for services working with families.

We encourage all workers to engage with these resources as part of ongoing professional development. They’re ideal for individual learning, team discussions, service design, and can help ensure our responses are trauma-informed, inclusive, and respectful of the diverse needs of women with disability.

Importantly, the resources also offer guidance on collaborating with advocates and the broader disability sector—connections that can significantly enhance the quality and effectiveness of your work with women with disability.

Visit the DFV and Disability Resource Hub today: WorkUP QLD Resource Hub.

2025 Mentoring Program Wrap

As the 2025 Walking Together, Learning Together mentoring program wraps up, participants are reflecting on a year of deep learning, cultural connection and professional growth.

Participants of Walking Together, Learning Together mentoring program have said of their experience, “Coming into the program I was very focused on my weaknesses. Now I’m much more focused on my strengths”. The program has helped build confidence, clarify career direction, and open new leadership pathways.

Now in its fourth year, Walking Together, Learning Together is designed to strengthen the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workforce in the Domestic & Family Violence, Sexual Violence and Women’s Health & Wellbeing sector. It responds to the underrepresentation of First Nations workers and supports their growth as leaders and mentors.

The program offers a unique blend of professional development, cultural connection and healing informed practice. Through workshops, narrative coaching, weaving, and peer mentoring, participants build strong, culturally grounded relationships that continue beyond the program.

Expressions of interest are now open for the 2026 program. Be part of this transformative journey as a mentor or mentee by completing this form, or email jessie.robinson@healingfoundation.org.au for more information.