67% of Australian workers concerned about their job security

The majority of Australian workers are worried about their job security according to new research undertaken by Humanforce, a provider of workforce management solutions, with 67% of people highlighting concerns for their future work prospects with their current employer.

The research found that most Australian workers were alarmed about the viability of their employer following the impact of COVID-19. Nearly 60% of people indicated they held direct concerns about the financial health and long-term prospects of their employer.

“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,” said Bruce Mackenzie, founder and managing director of Humanforce.

“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.”

Today, senior workers are more open minded to different types of employment, with 80% of survey respondents saying they would consider casual employment, or any non-permanent type of work. Only 11% of workers said they wouldn’t consider casual employment.

Flexibility was the main driver for why people of all ages would choose casual work, with 60% of respondents saying they were attracted to the ability to choose shifts and hours and 33% saying that they liked that casual work fit around other commitments such as childcare or study.

“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,” added Bruce.

“Advanced workforce management solutions and apps help to automate a range of tasks that are commonly required of casual workers. These include employee availability, shift management, communication with management and teams, online rosters and timesheets, leave management and onboarding.”

Beyond flexibility, good communication, training and support were critical in attracting and retaining staff following COVID-19, with 65% of people highlighting these were most the important things they would look for in an employer.

While people highlighted an openness to casual work following COVID-19, many (54%) also said that they would take a permanent job if it was offered to them. The main reasons for workers moving from casual to permanent employment (71%) was job stability and having a stable income.

Humanforce contracted Zoho Survey to survey 500 Australian worker respondents as part of this research project.

Pictured: Bruce Mackenzie