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  • About us
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      Downer is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange and employs more than 26,000 people.

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      Downer is a leading provider of integrated services in Australia and New Zealand.

       

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      Downer has over 300 sites across Australia and New Zealand with our head office based in Sydney.

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Sustainability Report 2022

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Downer's workforce

  • Downer's workforce

Downer’s workforce across Australia and New Zealand is more than 33,000, with fewer than 100 people across other international markets. By employment contract, 59 per cent of our workforce are permanent, with 41 per cent contingent workers. Refer below for a full breakdown of Downer’s workforce.

Employee headcount decreased by 25 per cent in FY22. This is due to organisational changes across the Group, including the divestment of Mining Services, Laundries and parts of the Hospitality business within Facilities. Downer has also made administrative improvements to reporting during FY22 to better define ‘active’ employees and to remove ‘inactive casuals’ from Payroll systems, which also contributed to the reduced headcount reported below.

In FY22, Downer’s employee turnover rate was 23 per cent, down from 24 per cent in FY21. Downer’s employee turnover rate has decreased five percentage points over the past two years from 28 per cent in FY20 – this is at a time when the sectors Downer operates in have experienced tight labour markets and high employee mobility. Low unemployment rates in Australia and New Zealand are also providing people with greater employment options and opportunities, which is impacting job mobility and turnover rates. In this environment, Downer was pleased to reduce employee turnover in FY22, and will continue driving initiatives to achieve our talent attraction and retention objectives.

Employee headcount
Region FY21 FY22 % Change
Australia   33,704   24,007

 

-29%
New Zealand   10,234   9,377

 

-8%
Other   423   55   -87%
Total   44,361   33,439   -25%

 

Downer workforce by age group
Age category Male % Female % % of workforce
Under 30 years old   21.46%   28.58%

 

23.69%
30 - 50 years old   47.27%   45.38%

 

46.68%
Over 50 years old   31.27%   26.04%   29.63%

 

Employees by contract type and gender
Contract type FY21 Female FY21 Male FY21 Total FY22 Female FY22 Male FY22 TotalChange % Female Change % Male  Change % Total
Permanent
Full-time   3,969   16,214

 

20,183
  3,787    13,984     17,771 -5%    -14%     -12%
Part-time   1,562   652   2,214
  1,325     569   1,894   -15%   -13%     -14%
Temporary
Full-time   1,201   2,185   3,386   1,163    2,301     3,464 -3%    5%   2% 
Part-time   876   609   1,485   841    615   1,456 -4%    1%    2%

Casual

  7,282   9,811   17,093   3,348   5,506    8,854 -54%   -44%    -49%
Total   14,890   29,471   44,361   10,464    22,975    33,439  -30%    -22%    -25%

 

Percentage of total employees covered by collective bargaining agreements
Region FY21 Number FY21 Rate % total headcount of region FY22 Number FY22 Rate % total headcount of region
Australia   18,322   54%

 

12,029   50%
New Zealand   4,171   41%

 

4,057   43%
Other   -   0%   -   0%
Total   22,493   51%   16,086   48%

 

Employee new hires by gender
Gender FY21 Number FY21 Rate % of total employees FY22 Number FY22 Rate % of total employees
Female   5,350   12%

 

4,865   15%
Male   8,464   19%

 

8,391   25%
Total   13,814   31%   13,257   40%

 

Employee turnover by gender
Gender FY21 Number FY21 Rate  FY22 Number FY22 Rate % of total employees
Female   3,451   23%

 

2,358   23%
Male   7,083   24%

 

5,254   23%
Total   10,534   24%   7,613   23%

 

Employee new hires by age category
Age category FY21 Number FY21 % of total employees FY22 Number FY22 % of total employees
Under 30 years old   6,331   14%

 

5,415   16%
30 - 50 years old   5,411   12%

 

5,590   17%
Over 50 years old   2,072   5%

 

2,252   7%
Total   13,257   31%   13,257   40%

 

Employee turnover by age category
Age category FY21 Number FY21  FY22 Number FY22
Under 30 years old   2,694   20%

 

2,045   26%
30 - 50 years old   5,200   27%

 

3,743   24%
Over 50 years old   2,640   23%

 

1,825   18%
Total   10,534   24%   7,613   23%

 

Employee new hires by region
Region FY21 Number FY21 Rate % total employees FY22 Number FY22 Rate
Australia   10,447   24%

 

10,404   31%
New Zealand   3,310   7%

 

2,850   9%
Other   57   0%   3   0%
Total   13,814   31%   13,257   40%

 

Employee turnover by region
Region FY21 Number FY21 Rate  FY22 Number FY22 Rate
Australia   8,346   25%

 

5,495   23%
New Zealand   2,188   21%

 

2,118   23%
Other   -   0%   -   0%
Total   10,534   24%   7,613   23%

 

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