Discover This Month – January 2023
To start the new year off, we’re talking about the older and part-time workforces. Everyone has their reasons as to why they are working on a part-time basis, whether voluntary or involuntary. Depending on a person’s age, the sector they are working in, or their location, part-time working brings with it a unique set of possibilities that can be beneficial to both you and your employees while driving growth for your business.
Our newsletter this month looks at the topic of the older and part-time workforce. What are their advantages and how can your business grow with part-time workers?
You can always contact us for advice around your workforce planning.
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The two main segments that come to mind when thinking about the part-time workforce consist of young people that are still studying or have not yet settled into a stable career path, and older workers who have their busiest years behind them. This doesn’t make either of them less attractive or less productive. The secret is finding the right piece of the puzzle for your commercial activities.
Although young workers bring with them a can-do attitude that can often lead to important skill-learning mistakes, older workers bring with them a lifetime of experience and the knowledge to know which questions to ask at the right time.
Together, these workers can create a winning team with a strong work ethic that can cross-pollinate to enable the building of bridges between the new and the old. A work environment that can provide in-house upskilling, experience, critical thinking and modern-day problem-solving for all occasions.
The growing trend however tells us that there are also a large number of workers undertaking other life choices like childcare, caring for family members, or further education; these workers can fill a multitude of gaps within the job market without a big commitment from employers if you are able to provide them with the hours/flexibility to suit their situation.
If employers are open to alternative options like part time or job sharing it can certainly fill the gaps, especially in the current climate.
For some professions, there is at least a decade of experience required before workers have the skills to do their job at the highest level. It could be an excellent strategic decision to pair a younger worker with someone that has walked that path before, or workers with the experience and patience to teach others how to achieve.
Part-time workers often stay within their working roles for longer periods giving greater value to businesses at a lesser expense. Working part-time means less repetition, increased energy levels, clearer thinking, and an active way to keep burn-out at a distance. Pairing experienced older workers with younger workers can often have a flow-on effect that breathes life into a team to deliver service and quality to a varied customer base.
The part-time employment share has risen steadily to now account for nearly one-third of total employment (Graph 1)
Labour demands have changed over the years and there has been an increase in service demands with the population becoming older and wealthier. This has led to a large increase in service employment eg: aged care, health, tourism and hospitality.
The nature of these types of roles can lead to unusual hours, after hours and on call work. Automated systems and technology has also played a part in employers being able to manage workers more effectively which opens the options up for having a part time workforce.
We know there are many workers want more hours but have taken part time employment in the hopes that the hours will increase. Consistent with this, ABS data suggests that around one-quarter of part-time workers (about 8 per cent of the labour force) want to, and are available to, work more hours than they currently do.
Employers who are open minded with the ability to trial different models, who do not discriminate against younger or older candidates will generally be more successful at staffing than those that stick to a traditional view of what makes up their workforce.
When the market is tight and in a period of relative very low unemployment it’s important to be creative and to adapt and overcome these challenges with convergent thinking. For some it will be challenging but the company could gain so much by considering hiring more mature workers or those available to work part-time. It doesn’t mean they are any less committed or experienced than full time workers.
Recruitment Central has always had part time and mature workers; it’s one of my long term soap boxes.
Our most successful sales person worked 2 days per week and bought 45 years of experience.
One of the best ways to find and advertise for staff is on social media, especially LinkedIn. If you are not yet following us on LinkedIn please do as we update it regularly with profiles and insights which will help you in your quest to find the right people for your team.
If you are currently recruiting or planning to in the near future we hope that this newsletter has provided food for thought in considering different options when it comes to solving hiring problems.
If you need assistance navigating your recruitment plan or require some advice please get in touch. We also provide this service by the hour. We can act as your human resources department. Speak to us if you want to know more about this model.
Word of mouth and feedback has always been the cornerstone to our success and growth so please pass on our details or share our posts, newsletters with any other organisation that may be looking to partner with a recruiter. Sharing is caring as they say!
We understand that staffing in this current climate is not easy, and finding and retaining great staff is always the goal. Let us partner with you on your next placement.
Until next month
Take Care
Sandra
Read about how to prioritise employee mental health and well-being to boost productivity, reduce costs, and build a thriving company culture.
Read about prioritising companies that cultivate healthy work environments by looking for open communication, work-life balance policies, employee recognition, and positive online reviews, during your job hunt.
Read our latest update on leveraging social media to build a nationwide network and stand out in the job market with valuable connections and expert reputation.
Read about how our global network connects you with top talent worldwide, ensuring a diverse and skilled fit for your specific needs.
Read our latest update on future-proofing your workforce as it becomes crucial in the 2024 economic, demanding adaptation to technological disruption, globalisation, and economic shifts.
Read our latest update on navigating Australia’s dynamic job market as it requires strategic planning, industry intel, and continuous learning to future-proof your career.
Connect and let us discuss how we can help with our ready to go employees.