EMPLOYERS SAY workplace skills are more important now for experienced workers than for new entrants to the workforce.
EMPLOYERS SAY workplace skills are more important now for experienced workers than for new entrants to the workforce. However,they report that no more than half of their organisations’ employees have participated in skills training. Workplace skills that HR professionals rated as more important on average for experienced employees than new workers include critical thinking/problem solving, leadership, professionalism/work ethic and teamwork/collaboration. Most commonly offered by employers are:
Continuing education courses 80%
On-the-job training 82%
Instructor-led workshops 83%
Source: SHRM
Free tea instead of childcare
ALMOST THREE quarters of Australian workers get free tea or coffee at work but only 1.5 per cent are given any help towards childcare. The results from a recent survey of 2675 employees underlines the fact that Australian business is yet to properly address the issues of parenting and careers. In a long list of potential employee benefits, childcare vouchers and enhanced maternity/paternity leave are by far the least commonly offered. General health and wellbeing benefits are awarded to 20 per cent of employees,in stark contrast to the most common benefits –free tea/coffee and cold drinks (74 per cent) and a Christmas party/lunch (64 per cent).
Source: Talent2
Australian workplaces rife with bullying
THIRTY PER CENT of employees claim they have been bullied at work. A national survey of more than 2000 employees also found that one in four (24 per cent) claim they have been discriminated against, and 44 per cent of respondents have witnessed their colleagues experiencing some form of bullying. Employees indicated they would most value information on what to do if bullied or discriminated against (16 per cent)
Source: Workpro
Employer survey shows big dip in job prospects
EMPLOYMENT PROSPECTS are weaker than at any time since 2004, with recruitment activity falling and redundancies set to increase. Although a recent quarterly survey of more than 1200 UK employers found that more than 1 in 4 (29 per cent) of employers expect to increase staff levels in the third quarter, this represents a sharp drop from 37 per cent in the second quarter and is by far the lowest third-quarter labour market outlook figure recorded since 2004.
Source: CIPD/KPMG
Youth in the workplace have no business acumen
LESS THAN one per cent of employees think that people under the age of 27 have strong business skills and only 2 per cent consider them to have any market knowledge at all. A survey of 1800 employees found that while young people may bring fresh ideas to the workplace, it is text book knowledge with no real-world experience. Exactly two thirds of respondents said that they thought younger workers were paid adequate attention and treated well at work and just more than half (55 per cent) said they would have “no problem whatsoever” in working for someone younger than themselves. Eighty per cent of those that had worked for a boss younger than themselves said that their superior was obviously the boss for good reason.
Source: LinkMe
Green and gold go together
GOING GREEN could pay financial dividends because Australian professionals don’t think businesses are doing nearly enough for the environment. A recent survey revealed that more than half of Australian professionals (62 per cent) believe they would be more productive when working in an eco-friendly environment, yet only 6 per cent rate their workplace as being “green”. Moreover, 90 per cent of Australian professionals believe their organisation is not doing enough to reduce its environmental footprint.
Source: Daemon MRA
Property industry fighting back in talent war
SIXTY PER CENT of property industry CEOs believe that the skills shortage issue has become a regular feature on board meeting agendas,reinforcing the importance of the strategic view to talent. Sixty-seven per cent of the respondents stated that the roles most affected by the skills shortage were project and site managers (67 per cent)
Significant shortages of infrastructure specialists (27 per cent), and surveyors (27 per cent) were also found.
Source: Deloitte
Hold the chardonnay; I’ll take a tea break
ONLY SEVENTEEN per cent of Australians would sacrifice a cup of tea for workplace drinks. Four in five Australians take up to three tea breaks a day. While40 per cent take tea breaks with friends or colleagues, a further 40 per cent take tea breaks while working or multi-tasking, and 18 per cent take tea breaks alone as time out to enjoy silence and solitude. The survey also revealed that nine out of ten Australians never feel guilty about taking a tea break.
Source: Lipton T.E.A
White-collar workers hazy about Greater Western Sydney
A SURVEY of 1100 white-collar workers employed in the Sydney CBD and North Sydney reveals that more people would work in Greater Western Sydney if they were better informed of comparable career opportunities. Only 15 per cent of respondents believe their employment prospects in Greater Western Sydney are high, with 34 per cent rating them as low or nil. Of the people willing to work in Greater Western Sydney, the most important considerations are:
Travel time 12%
Career progression 20%
Salary 54%
Source: Michael Page International
