“These are industries that have been instrumental in protecting people’s health and wellbeing”
Building an attractive employer brand is critical to doing well in a tough market, according to the Nick Pesch, CEO of Randstad.
Pesch said it’s fantastic to see industries such as tech and medicine continue to inspire confidence in Australians during the pandemic.
“These are industries that have been instrumental in protecting people’s health and wellbeing, while providing work transition opportunities,” Presch told HRD.
Pesch’s comments come as Randstad Australia’s 2020 Employer Brand Research Report found the key drivers influencing Australians to remain in or choose a new employer as a result of COVID-19.
The research uncovered a 28% increase in job seekers over the past six months and with over half (57%) of working Australians currently open to, or actively looking for a new job, the future success of many businesses is depending on the commitment and stability of their workforce.
Moreover, the results show there is a gap that exists between what employees seek, and what jobseekers believe employers are prioritising.
Australia’s top five most attractive industries post COVID-19 2020 are:
- Technology
- Life Sciences, medical, pharma
- Sourcing, supply chain, logistics
- Manufacturing
- Government, NGO’s
The top issues employers are focusing on in 2020 were found to be financial health, the latest technologies and job security. Furthermore, the top three things employees are currently looking for are a health work-life balance, company culture and salary
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Since the pandemic began, 76% of Australians have admitted that they now want an employer who puts their personal health and safety first.
Pesch said that with so much uncertainty and turmoil in the workforce and many making the return to the office, employer branding will be key to keep existing employees and attract new talent in the future.
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“Randstad’s Employer Brand Research results have yet again provided a clear snapshot of job seeker’s drivers and motivations that can be utilised to shape an organisation’s branding, talent attraction and retention strategies - particularly in such an uncertain time,” said Pesch.
“It’s clear from our research that the pandemic has shifted priorities for the workforce.
“We’re seeing a rise in Australians who are looking for organisations that present good work-life balance to provide a greater sense of control, and a strong company culture as people desire transparency and honesty.”
Interestingly, following the first lockdown, Randstad conducted interviews with 1000 workers and 500 employers to assess workplace sentiment across New Zealand.
The Randstad report, “The impact of COVID-19 on workers and organisations”, found job security to be a key employee concern.
Katherine Swan, Randstad New Zealand Country Director, said there continues to be a lot of market disruption and this will continue while Auckland remains in lockdown and beyond.
“Many companies have had to make difficult decisions to manage resources, particularly those in tourism and hospitality,” said Swan.
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“It’s therefore not surprising, that job security is one of the most important employee drivers in Randstad’s latest ‘Impact of COVID-19’ report. Kiwi worker priorities have shifted significantly.
“Today, employees want reassurance to know that their job is safe and that their employer will weather the current economic storm.”