Australians take on average 8.62 days of sick leave/personal leave each year, costing the economy around $26.6 billion per annum, or $3,017 per employee, according to the 2008 Absence Management Survey by Direct Health Solutions
Australians take on average 8.62 days of sick leave/personal leave each year,costing the economy about $26.6 billion per annum, or $3017 per employee,according to the 2008 Absence Management Survey by Direct Health Solutions. The survey also found that more than 63 per cent of employers indicated that absence through increased stress levels is increasing, and the main reason for this is workload and organisational change. Furthermore, more than 87 per cent of organisations have introduced health and wellbeing solutions in the past 12 months.
Word of mouth key in job searches
More Australian workers find jobs through word of mouth than their European counterparts, according to a recent Hays survey of more than 4000 people. It revealed that 35 per cent of Australian employees found their last job through word of mouth, compared with 40 per cent of UK employees. Other Asia Pacific findings were similar, with 34 per cent of New Zealand, 38 per cent of Hong Kong and 36 per cent of Singapore employees using word of mouth to source their last role. Online search was a well used method across most countries surveyed, with 37 per cent of Australian and New Zealandemployees finding their last role online.
Not too late to nab good grads
Companies without formal graduate recruitment programs still have an opportunity to attract high calibre 2008 university graduates if they take some strategic steps, according to LINK HR Consulting. “Without a graduate intake program, employers who are too small or busy running their business often struggle to compete against ‘blue-chip’ organisations when it comes to attracting the best graduates,” says June Parker from LINK HR Consulting. She said employers should have a clear and tailored graduate employee value proposition; be upfront about the training and development available; get internal buy-in to promote and deliver a clear graduate program; and start planning for 2010.
