AUSTRALIA, MELBOURNE, 27 October, 2026 – More than one in three (38%) Australian workers report putting in at least six unpaid hours each week, according to the latest issue of ADP Research’s People at Work 2026 report. This places Australia on par with the global average.

Within Australia’s workforce, 12% report working 16 or more unpaid hours weekly, highlighting the extent to which work extends beyond paid hours for some employees.

Globally, the research finds that workers who report longer unpaid hours are also more likely to experience stress, feel less productive, and look for a new job.

While the survey does not establish why employees work unpaid hours, the findings suggest organisations should better understand where unpaid work is occurring and whether workload, staffing, skills or resource pressures may be contributing factors.

Kylie Baullo, General Manager, ANZ and Japan, said, “There is no single explanation for why employees work unpaid hours. Workload pressures, staffing constraints, skills gaps and workplace expectations can all play a role. Employers should pay attention when additional unpaid hours become a consistent pattern.”

Unpaid Hours Increase with Seniority

In Australia, unpaid work becomes more common further up the organisational ladder.

More than half (54%) of C-suite executives and 51% of upper managers report working at least six unpaid hours each week, compared with 44% of middle managers, 37% of frontline managers and 26% of individual contributors.

Those at the top are also the most likely to put in the longest unpaid hours. Almost one in four (23%) Australian C-suite executives report working 16 or more unpaid hours each week, compared with 16% of upper managers, 13% of middle managers, 10% of frontline managers and 8% of individual contributors.

“Senior roles naturally come with greater responsibilities, but consistently working additional unpaid hours should not be seen as an inevitable part of career progression,” said Baullo.

“Organisations need to consider whether expectations, resources and support are keeping pace with growing responsibilities. Leaders also have a role in setting healthy norms so that working beyond scheduled hours does not become an unspoken expectation across their teams.”

Medium-Sized Organisations and Knowledge Workers Report High Levels of Unpaid Work

Unpaid work also varies by organisation size and the nature of employees’ roles.

In Australia, 44% of employees in medium-sized organisations report at least six unpaid hours each week, the highest proportion across all firm sizes. This is followed by 38% of employees in small organisations and 35% in large organisations.

When it comes to the nature of work, knowledge workers in Australia are the most likely to report unpaid hours, with 49% reporting at least six unpaid hours every week.

“Unpaid hours can be a signal to look more closely at how work is distributed and supported. Employers should seek to understand whether additional hours arise from short-term demands or ongoing staffing, skills or workload pressures,” said Baullo.

“Better workforce visibility, together with clear priorities, appropriate resources and realistic expectations, can help organisations address underlying pressures and support sustainable workloads and employee wellbeing.”