How Australian workers are risking their jobs

Australians could be in for a huge shock when it comes to future employment prospects, with many making one big mistake in the workplace.

Laid-back Aussies could be in for a shock as more than half of workers lack the skills they need for the future and most do not even realise it.

New research from LinkedIn revealed just 39 per cent of Australian professionals were concerned about the pace of change in their industry, yet employers said less than half of their staff (49 per cent) had the skills to keep up.

LinkedIn learning solutions head Jason Laufer said it was surprising Australians were so much more relaxed than their Asia Pacific counterparts.

Australian workers run the risk of falling behind due to a lack of skills.

Workers in Singapore (65 per cent), India (62 per cent) and Japan (55 per cent) were significantly more likely to be daunted by the pace of change.

Mr Laufer said Australians were historically laid-back but their confidence may be misplaced.

Still, many understood they needed to keep learning to stay relevant.

“Almost a third of workers have quit their job because they were not getting the right learning and development opportunities,” he said.

“It’s the responsibility of both those in the workforce and employers to do something about it.”

He said elearning and digital platforms, such as LinkedIn Learning, allowed workers to upskill when and where it suited them.

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HubSpot Asia Pacific director James Gilbert said elearning did not replace university degrees but worked alongside them as a “hybrid approach”.

“(University) sets you up with the foundation then (elearning gives) the most relevant context for your role,” he said.

Mr Gilbert said elearning particularly lent itself to careers that were constantly evolving — such as digital marketing — or those that did not previously exist.

Short online courses could be used to hone both technical and soft skills.

Mr Laufer said technical skills in artificial intelligence, big data and cloud computing all continued to be in demand from employers, but soft skills were also valued — particularly creativity, problem solving, adaptability and critical thinking.

“Traditionally, there has been a lot of focus on technical skills but businesses now place as much value on soft skills,” he said.

Hays Australia and New Zealand managing director Nick Deligiannis said soft skills were increasingly important as technology took over many of the routine and repetitive aspects of jobs.

“(Employers) recognise that it is these skills that allow an employee to add great value to an organisation,” he said.

The latest Hays Salary Guide revealed the soft skills most sought by employers were problem solving (62 per cent wanted this), strong communication (58 per cent) and critical thinking (47 per cent).

Originally published as How Australian workers are risking their jobs