Australian workforce focuses on negatives: Reventure study

Research of employee sentiment has shown people are becoming more worried about negative workplace events.

Reventure lead researcher Lindsay McMillan.

Human resources think tank Reventure is hoping for a more positive year after its snapshot of the Australian workforce for 2016 found issues ranging from bullying and harassment to the gender pay gap and growing job insecurity are worrying Australian workers more than ever.

Lead researcher Lindsay McMillan says the study of employee sentiment of more than 1000 workers has shown people are more worried about negative workplace events than previously.

The report found 10 per cent of Australian employees experienced verbal abuse or bullying in the workplace; 20 per cent experienced high levels of negativity; 18 per cent experienced conflict with their boss; and 14 per cent felt their mental or physical health decline as a direct result of their work.

“Too many Australian workers are experiencing negative incidences at work and are worried about the future of their job,” McMillan says.

“Couple this with issues such as the gender pay gap, high levels of underemployment and youth unemployment, flat wage growth, continued reports of worker exploitation, and the situation is dire.”

He says employers and workplace organisations need to work together better to improve conditions for workers.

Finance demand

Recruitment firm Robert Half is predicting higher demand for finance professionals this year, with business expansion and new projects being the primary drivers of demand in Sydney and Melbourne.

In a competitive job market, Asia-Pacific senior managing director David Jones says finance professionals who have diverse skill sets and who can add value to a company will be able to command higher salaries.

He says the finance function within Australian businesses will undergo a significant transformation as technological advancements continue to change the way companies conduct their business.

“Process automation, digitisation and big data will have a substantial impact on the finance function in 2017 and in the years ahead,” Jones says. “This in turn puts pressure on the finance function, as finance professionals need to add versatility to their skill sets.”

Jones says there is lingering uncertainty within the finance employment market because of unexpected global events such as Brexit and the election of Donald Trump in the US. However, there is no indication there will be a negative flow-on effect in Australia, as the demand for temporary and permanent financial opportunities are expected to remain steady this year.

Temp skills needed

Hays’ workplace tips for 2017 include the increasing use of temp workers, casuals and contractors, with headcount flexibility becoming normal.

The company is predicting this will be the year of the super temp, with highly skilled professionals working on senior or executive-level assignments more regularly.

A blended workforce also will become normal, with more workers contracted and temporary assignments likely to become a part of workforce planning.

Hays is predicting a shortage of highly skilled employees, or knowledge workers with honed skills and who are tech-savvy, in NSW, Victoria and the ACT.

With shortages predicted, Hays is tipping that counter- offers to retain workers are less likely to work this year and jobseekers will have greater leverage to negotiate higher salaries in new roles.

Another prediction is the rise of the millennial and that generation’s push for greater flexibility at work, with a greater work-life integration instead of work-life balance.