Sayers named most attractive start-up for Australian employees

27 September 2021 Consultancy.com.au

Employment platform LinkedIn has released its annual list of the most attractive start-ups in Australia, with new kid on the block Sayers claiming the top spot.

While the Carlton Football Club has notably struggled to attract a high calibre coach in recent weeks, it seems the club’s recently installed president – Luke Sayers – is having no such problems off the field, with the former PwC Australia boss’s independent consultancy named by LinkedIn as the most attractive start-up for employees in Australia. The eponymously-named Sayers was formed just last year, and has since recruited a swag of consulting talent.

Eligibility for LinkedIn’s list of top twenty-five start-ups requires companies to be privately held and locally headquartered with a headcount exceeding 50, having been established within the past seven years. To compile its rankings, the employment platform assesses data across four pillars; employee growth, jobseeker interest, engagement with the company and its employees, and how well the startup has drawn talent from LinkedIn’s Top Companies list.

Sayers named most attractive start-up for Australian employees

Interestingly, the leader of that list this year – Ernst & Young – hasn’t been among Sayers’ favoured hunting grounds, with the majority of founding partners and recruits arriving via PwC, naturally, and Deloitte – including for the launch of its Technology & Platforms business unit at the beginning of the year. The firm currently has a full-time headcount of 90, growing considerably since its founding upon Sayers retirement from PwC last year.

As an advisory, the Melbourne-headquartered Sayers stood out among the raft of online platforms and ecommerce companies making up the majority of the Top Startup list, including Employment Hero, Linktree and telehealth company Eucalyptus among the top ten. The top-ranked company over the past two years, Judo Bank, dropped this year to seventh, while the inaugural number one, Canva, is no longer eligible due to being founded in 2013.

LinkedIn notes that of the 26 countries it assesses, employees of Australian start-ups have the most previous experience, averaging 9.1 years – with that figure possibly set to grow. “We are seeing a shift where experienced professionals are now embracing the world of startups,” says LinkedIn managing editor Capucine Yeomans. “We’re witnessing the ‘great reshuffle’ – a moment where everyone is rethinking not just how we work, but why we work.”

While there are no currently listed openings on its company website or LinkedIn, Sayers says that it’s always on the lookout for talented and purposeful additions to its team with a constant stream of employment opportunities. For those interested in joining, the consulting and investment firm describes itself as purpose-led and progress driven. “We promote and encourage a future focused culture with a strong human foundation,” the company states.