New research has found a growing number of employees believe health and safety are priorities in their workplaces. This is despite rising claims to Safe Work Australia.
Commissioned by COS, Australia's largest family owned office and education supplies business, over 1000 workers nationwide were surveyed.
The results found that more people believe their workplaces prioritise health and safety than they did two years ago, coming in at 80% now compared to 70% in 2023.
However, underlying this is a growing rate of serious claims to Safe Work Australia over the last decade, an increase of 20.5%.
Azzet spoke to COS co-CEO Belinda Lyone to find out how 80% of workers can continue increasing and practical plans to do so.
The leading reason for those who reported not feeling like health and safety was a workplace priority was an expectation to keep working through illness, with 46% of people reporting stress over the thought of catching something, which is up 32% from 2023.
"The pandemic was a major turning point when it comes to how employees perceive health and safety in the workplace. It heightened awareness across the board — not just around hygiene, but also mental wellbeing and psychological safety," said Lyone.
"It’s clear that people are more aware of the risks of illness transmission, especially in shared spaces like offices, warehouses and hospitals. At COS, we’ve found that customers in industries like healthcare, retail, education and logistics are more proactively looking to us for solutions that help them meet these rising expectations — whether that’s hygiene stations, signage, decluttering tools, or support for flexible work policies."
The research also revealed the top three health and safety improvements Australians would like to see in their workplace: mental health days (39%), training sessions (19%), and ergonomic equipment (14%).
Additional responses to office spaces themselves found that 17% were worried about constant clutter around the office, and 7% were concerned about loose wires, chargers, and cords around their workspace.
Lyone says there is also a clear pattern in these findings, across age and gender.
“From a gender perspective, female employees were more likely to prioritise mental health support, with 43% saying they’d like access to mental health days, compared to 34% of male employees. This highlights a growing expectation for employers to support wellbeing more holistically, beyond just physical safety, ” she said.
"Age-wise, the youngest workers (18–24) reported the highest confidence in their workplace’s health and safety practices, with 93% saying they feel their employer prioritises it. However, this dropped to just 75% among those aged 25–34 — the lowest of any group. Confidence then gradually climbed with age, reaching 88% for workers aged 55 and over."
So what does this mean?
"This suggests that as people progress through their careers, their expectations of safety and wellbeing evolve. For younger employees, in particular, there may be a stronger desire for workplaces to be more proactive in communicating and demonstrating their commitment to health, cleanliness, and mental wellbeing."
And with all this in mind, how do workplaces move forward with practical steps to alleviate these concerns?
Lyone says COS has five clear ways to close this gap:
- Listen first. Start by engaging teams directly — whether through surveys, safety check-ins, or informal conversations. Different roles and demographics will have different needs, and this input is key to shaping practical, inclusive solutions.
- Declutter and organise. With 17% of employees saying clutter impacts how safe they feel, this is a quick win. Implement storage solutions, label shared areas, and manage cables to reduce trip hazards and improve the overall feel of the space.
- Invest in hygiene. Hygiene is one of the most tangible ways to show employees that their wellbeing is prioritised. Supplying hand-sanitiser stations, disinfectants, wipes, and clear signage across shared areas can make a big difference to how people feel day-to-day.
- Provide ergonomic essentials. Simple additions like monitor risers, ergonomic chairs, or footrests will go a long way in preventing physical strain and showing care for employee comfort — especially for those in desk-based roles.
- Feedback should be acted upon and progress communicated. Set clear timelines for implementing improvements and regularly updating your team. Visibility builds trust, and follow-through on small changes shifts perceptions.
“From cleaning and hygiene products to organisation and safety signage, we’re proud to help businesses take simple, impactful steps that show their people they genuinely care.”
