Australian workers name conflict as major issue

Clashes with managers and colleagues are two of the top 10 issues facing Australians workers.

AccessEAP has released data showing conflicts with managers and colleagues are two of the top 10 issues facing Australians workers.

Close to 15 per cent of employees seeking support say they have faced workplace conflict.

AccessEAP chief executive Sally Kirkright says in many instances these conflicts do not have to escalate and a carefully constructed conversation may be the answer.

AccessEAP’s dealing-with-conflict guidelines include being confident with concerns, focusing on behaviour, being clear and specific, listening and responding calmly.

TECH IS THE THREAT

Randstad research has found 84 per cent of Australians are not concerned with technological advancements affecting their future employment.

Randstad chief executive Frank Ribuot says Australians believe the biggest cause of stress is working longer hours followed by meeting role expectations, fear of redundancy and pressure from managers.

“Automation is a major factor impacting employees globally, however Australians are more focused on short-term concerns, such as working longer hours, when the real threat and opportunities are coming from technological advancements,” Ribuot says.

Leading technology futurist Shara Evans says 40 per cent of current jobs in Australia won’t exist in 10 to 15 years.

“The technological developments and opportunities are here, and it is essential Australians start embracing these changes and planning ahead,” Evans says.

CONFIDENCE ON RISE

Leadership organisation YPO is reporting confidence among business leaders in Asia has reached a two-year high after growth in the first quarter of this year.

YPO member Wei Chen says the regional picture has improved significantly, but there are marked differences in sentiment across the major economies.

India remains the most confident of the world’s top 10 economies, and the US has more optimism than the EU, which has fallen behind in the fourth quarter of last year.

Chen says Asia is seeing a healthy improvement for its second consecutive quarter as global commodity prices rebound.

“It’s positive to see that business leaders in Asia remain optimistic about the economic climate,” Chen says.

The YPO Global Pulse Index edged up 0.3 point to 62.5 during the quarter, its highest level since January 2015.

HIGH COST OF LEAVE

An Australian Industry Group survey shows absenteeism directly costs the economy $44 billion a year and is one of the largest costs to Australian employers.

The AI Group survey shows Australian employees take about 10 sick days a year in contrast with Britain, which averages nine days and the US five.

The Australian Human Resources Institute says it is important to understand the reasons people take sick leave before devising sick leave policies.

A Hallis Turnover and Absenteeism study found those likeliest to take sick leave had young children, carer responsibilities, were union members, younger, often contact centre employees or shift workers.

Workplace health programs have been shown to increase productivity and can reduce sick leave by up to 27 per cent.

AHRI says workplace health programs, if embraced, reduce the cost of absenteeism and create a happier, healthier workforce.