More than nine in 10 employers want to expand, maintain headcounts his year
Hiring will continue for majority of Australian employers this year amid greater confidence across organisations, according to the latest Robert Half survey.
The survey showed that 95% of employers are planning to maintain or increase their permanent headcount this year, much higher than the 75% a year ago.
Among them, 50% of employers surveyed said they will add new positions for permanent staff, while 33% said they will expand for contract staff.
Another 45% said they will only maintain their permanent staff numbers this year, while 58% said they plan to fill vacated positions for contract staff.
Nicole Gorton, director at Robert Half, said the findings indicate that businesses want to bounce back from 2023.
"While some businesses in more affected industries have stalled hiring, the majority are now looking to make strategic hires - by backfilling vacant roles or selectively interviewing highly skilled candidates aligned to strategic business objectives or expand their teams," Gorton said in a statement.
Meanwhile, only three per cent of employers plan to freeze hiring in 2024, while only two per cent are considering a reduction in permanent staff.
Hiring intentions of CIOs, CFOs
Robert Half's latest survey polled 500 hiring managers, including 100 chief financial officers (CFO) and 100 chief information officers (CIO).
Among the respondents, 54% of CIOs and 44% of CFOs said they are planning to expand or add new positions in their organisations in 2024.
Another 45% of CIOs and 47% of CFOs said they plan on maintaining their headcount and fill only vacant positions in their teams.
Only one per cent of CIOs and seven per cent of CFOs plan to freeze hiring in 2024, while only three per cent of CFOs and no CIO said they will eliminate roles this year, according to the report.
"While the country's economy and hiring market will continue to shift, we’re coming off an incredibly elevated hiring period so jobseekers should continue to search with confidence but perhaps with less bargaining power than they would’ve had a couple of years ago," Gorton said.
