FORTY-EIGHT per cent of Australian finance and HR managers are experiencing difficulties in finding good staff, compared to 39 per cent globally
FORTY-EIGHT per cent of Australian finance and HR managers are experiencing difficulties in finding good staff, compared to 39 per cent globally. A survey of 150 managers found that they are also experiencing increased demand for:
Accountants 45%
Payroll administrators/auditors 11%
Credit controllers 9%
The survey also found that 75 per cent of finance and HR managers believe their accounting teams are handling bigger workloads while 55 per cent say there is a much better atmosphere in the office because of a positive economic impulse.
Robert Half Finance & Accounting
Workers want males at the top
SIXTY-FIVE per cent of Australian employees prefer male bosses, according to a survey of 1,200 workers. However, 61 per cent of employees said they had been mistreated by a male boss and a further 53 per cent believe that males bosses are tougher and more callous.
Source: Talent2
Employers’ under-performance management
TWENTY-NINE per cent of Australian employees do not know their company’s strategic plan, while 9 per cent have never received performance management reviews. A survey of more than 700 workers also found that performance management reviews are most commonly linked to:
Remuneration 39%
Promotion prospects 40%
Training/skill development 54%
The survey also found that 62 per cent of employees said their performance reviews were conducted only once per year, while 70 per cent of reviews were only conducted in relation to their position description.
Source: IXP3
Companies bemoan recruitment and retention
SIXTY-SIX per cent of private companies anticipate the most challenging issue in 2005 will be recruitment and retention, according to a study of more than 150 Australian firms. It also found that 97 per cent are confident the Australian economy will perform well in 2005 while 24 per cent anticipate organisational growth will be fueled by acquiring other companies.
Source: Ernst & Young
Meetings fail to bear productive fruit
SEVENTY-ONE per cent of employees find meetings unproductive, despite their spending an average of 5.5 hours per week in them. A global survey of 38,000 workers also found that 66 per cent believe that a lack of balance exists between their personal and work lives, contributing to unproductive feelings, while US employees work an average of 45 hours per week – 16 of which they believe are unproductive.
Source: Microsoft
Headhunters have eye on ICT professionals
FIFTY-ONE per cent of information and communication technology (ICT) professionals have been headhunted in the last twelve months, a survey of 1,000 such professionals has found. While only 14 per cent of those headhunted went on to secure a new job, the survey found that many who moved were key members of staff.
Source: Candle ICT
EU: Recruiters too demanding?
MORE than half of European job seekers feel that employers are unrealistic in their job specifications, and will apply for jobs even if they do not exactly match the requirements. A survey of more than 8,000 European jobseekers also found that 30 per cent will even submit applications where they fit only half of the requirements and only 12 per cent feel that it is necessary to meet 100 per cent of the job description.
Source: StepStone
Career development goes online
THIRTY-THREE per cent of HR professionals are planning to take elements of their career development online by the end of the year, a survey of more than 250 US companies has found. The most common elements employers are planning to take online include the ability to enroll in training (72 per cent) and allowing managers to plan annual merit/base salary values and reviewing/updating employee performance (80 per cent).
Source: Towers Perrin
Overtime overused
EIGHTY-SIX per cent of Australians work overtime and 87 per cent do not claim for those extra hours at their desk. according to a survey of 1,100 workers. The survey also found that 92 per cent of Australian CEOs work overtime (4 per cent of which actually claim for additional hours) while the most common reasons employees work overtime without asking for extra compensation are:
Organisational culture expectations 66%
Discomfort in asking 50%
Too much work 24%
The survey also found that 59 per cent of employees would prefer time in lieu instead of extra dollars.
Source: Talent2
What value indigenous Australian training?
NINETY-ONE per cent of Indigenous Australians who received vocational education and training believe that it helped to improve their confidence and self-esteem. A further 71 per cent said the training helped them become more involved in their communities, 87 per cent said it improved their workplace skills while 62 per cent said the training assisted with gaining employment or a better/different job.
Source: NCVER
US: Improving economy aids jobseekers
FORTY-FIVE per cent of key executives (executive vice presidents and CEOs) found new jobs within six months of looking during 2004, while 76 per cent landed new jobs within 12 months. A US survey of more than 8,700 jobseekers also found that lower and mid-level managers landed a job within
Nine months 97%
Six months 93%
Three months 73%
Source: Right Management Consultants
