REPLAY PMC AUDIO SUMMIT 2025 / Keeping Your Team Energised Through Year-End by Deb Gidman

So why morale and connection work? In Australia right now, 16% of employees say that they feel fully engaged at work.

That's according to ADP Research Institute People at Work 2025 report.

So that means 84% of the workforce is showing up but not necessarily feeling connected, valued or inspired.

When engagement drops, so does performance, retention and overall well-being.

SafeWork Australia's latest psychological health report found that mental health conditions now account for about 9% of all serious workers' compensation claims, and those claims can result in significantly more time off than physical injuries.

So it's a reminder that stress, disconnection and burnout are not small issues.

They're costing businesses and they're affecting lives.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics also reports that around one in five Australians experience a mental health condition in any given year.

So when you think about that, look around your workplace.

It's likely that someone on your team is struggling right now.

So when we talk about things like team lunches, bake-offs, Secret Santa, it's not about the fluff.

It's about building connection, reducing stress, and supporting the well-being of people who keep our businesses running.

Connection has been proven to reduce workplace stress and increase psychological safety, which is really just a fancy way of saying that people feel OK to be themselves and speak up.

And when they do, they're more creative, more resilient and far more productive.