Ampersand Executive’s double strategy

Peter Woodward and Dimitra Fourtzis have joined Ampersand Executive, Search and Advisory.

OneShift founder Gen George.

Peter Woodward has been appointed human resources practices director at Ampersand Executive, Search and Advisory, to head its Asia-Pacific recruitment region.

Along with Dimitra Fourtzis, who will head the company’s marketing and digital division, he will help drive growth in the Asia-Pacific.

Managing directory Hayley James says the appointments are a response to market growth in digital and business functions across the region, with Ampersand committed to continued growth, innovation and delivering customer value.

Woodward has joined Ampersand from global recruitment firm Talent2, and has leadership experience from his time working with Coles and Kmart.

Fourtzis joins Ampersand’s leadership group from the National Australia Bank, where she led consumer and business bank marketing during her 15-year tenure.

The working sick

A survey of more than 800 Australian workers has found 63 per cent feel pressure to go into work when they are sick.

The OneShift survey also asked if workers felt annoyed by their colleagues coming in when they were under the weather, and 57 per cent said yes, despite themselves feeling pressure to work.

The results suggest people care more about others sharing unwanted germs than an unwanted workload and would prefer it if they took days off to recover.

OneShift founder Gen George says employees presenting to work, even when they are under the weather, is symptomatic of the mounting pressure within modern workplaces.

Australian full-time employees are entitled to 10 days of paid sick leave, compared with no paid sick leave policies for short-term illnesses in the US, and six weeks of paid leave at full salary if a medical certificate is presented to an employer in Germany.

Fewer hirings

Online oil and gas career services provider Rigzone says professionals are cautious about employment conditions as the resources industry struggles, with more people applying for jobs.

Rigzone’s latest global hiring survey found 76 per cent of international managers had seen an increase in the number of candidates applying for positions compared to three months ago.

With continued volatility of the market, most oil and gas companies globally have changed their hiring plans in the short and medium term, with 53 per cent of hiring managers decreasing plans for the next six months and only 18 per cent saying present market conditions caused them to increase their hiring plans.

More than half of the global hiring managers also reported they had not seen an increase in the number of candidates asking for more money.

Last month Rigzone and OilCareers joined forces. They will now have an international platform and operate in Europe, the Middle East, the Americas and the Asia-Pacific.

Online PR hub

The Public Relations Institute of Australia has joined with JobTarget to launch PR Central, what is claimed to be the first online jobs board specialising in public relations and communication jobs.

The site will be a hub for public relations industry vacancies, allowing candidates to post an anonymous resume and create new job alerts as a way of announcing their availability in the marketplace.

Employers can post a job, internship or freelance advertisement, or browse the resume bank.