Qantas offering $3,600 stock bonuses to stem staff exodus

Qantas is offering 20,000 workers shares worth more than A$5,000 ($3,600) if they stay at the airline for another 18 months, part of a battle to stem an outflow of staff since the pandemic. Eligible non-executive employees will receive the rights to 1,000 new Qantas shares that will convert into stock in August 2023, the airline said Thursday. Staying with the carrier until then is a key condition of the handout, which is part of a “retention and reward program,” the airline said. As the pandemic enters its third year, Qantas CEO Alan Joyce said the strain on workers and the dimming allure of aviation as a career is showing up in staff departures. Employee turnover among technology roles at Qantas, for instance, has reached 30%, Joyce said. It’s a trend being repeated across a variety of industries as the pandemic prompts millions of workers to reassess their work and its value.<br/>