Aussie workers are anxious about their jobs. That’s according to new research that reveals 67 per cent of people surveyed showed concern about job security.
Nearly 60 per cent of those surveyed were worried about impact of the pandemic on the financial health and long-term prospects of their employer.
Bruce Mackenzie, founder and managing director of Humanforce which undertook the research, said “Covid-19 has taken a wrecking ball to the way Australians work, with travel restrictions and lockdowns closing businesses and whole industries. While green shoots are emerging for a domestically led recovery, this is not enough to allay the fears for Australian workers who are increasingly concerned about their jobs.
“People are worried that they could lose work, have their hours reduced, or that their employer may not even exist in the future. This will have significant impacts on the way Australians view work and what they are looking for in an employer going forward.”
While respondents highlighted an openness to casual work, more than half (54 per cent) would accept a permanent role for job and income stability.
Flexibility was the main driver for why people of all ages would choose casual work.
The ability to choose shifts and hours appealed to 60 per cent of respondents, with the ability to work around family and study commitments a big draw for 33 per cent.
Senior workers showed more willingness to consider alternatives to full-time employment, with 80 per cent of survey respondents happy to consider a casual or non-permanent work role.
Mackenzie said “Casual workers will be central to business recovery in Australia, with these employees commonly on the front-line of customer service, acting as the public face of a company. Engaged casual workers, supported by the right workplace technologies can better serve the public through greater company, product and service knowledge.”
Good communication, training and support are also critical in attracting and retaining staff with 65 per cent of people citing these as key in their employment.
