Given the competitive nature of today’s job market, a strong work ethic is critical for individuals looking to stand out from the crowd and both secure, and maintain, meaningful employment.
A strong work ethic is comprised of a set of traits and habits that employers value highly, particularly given the dynamic and fast-paced environment within the Australian business landscape.
But what exactly are the qualities that must be cultivated to demonstrate a strong work ethic? We list six below:
Reliability and Punctuality
One of the most valued traits in not just the workplace, but life in general, is reliability. Employers and teammates love individuals who consistently show up on time, adhere to deadlines and fulfil their responsibilities. Being reliable demonstrates a strong commitment to the job and a willingness to go the extra mile to get things done. As an extension of reliability, punctuality is also highly regarded. It is a sign of professionalism, and a sign of respect for other people’s time.
Initiative and Self-Motivation
Employees who are self-motivated and demonstrate initiative are highly sought after. Those who go above and beyond with their assigned tasks, and proactively seek out opportunities to contribute to the business, are valued team members and stand out from the crowd. Exhibiting such a mindset, and a willingness to take on responsibilities, shows a strong work ethic and a willingness/drive to excel in their role.
Adaptability and Flexibility
While always valued and important, the need for flexibility and adaptability in the post-Covid business landscape is essential. Employers cherish those who can navigate through uncertain situations, handle unexpected challenges and adjust their approach to a task at a moment’s notice. Not only are these important skills to have on a personal level, but adaptable and flexible employees allow organisations to remain competitive and responsive to market demands.
Commitment to Continuous Learning
With a heavy emphasis on education and professional development in the Australian job market, employees who commit to learning and self-improvement are in high demand. The ability learn new skills, remain up to date with the latest industry trends and undertake education and training shows initiative and a commitment to personal and professional growth. Individuals who can bring innovative ideas and new knowledge to an organisation are highly regarded.
Strong Communication Skills
The ability to effectively communicate is a key component of a strong work ethic. Those who can articulate their thoughts clearly, listen actively and collaborate effectively – with colleagues and clients alike – are highly valued by Australian employers. Strong communication skills help create a positive work environment/culture, foster teamwork, and ensure that projects and tasks are completed efficiently and on time. Given the high levels of multiculturalism in modern-day Australia, the ability to understand and communicate with different backgrounds and cultures is especially important.
Ethical Conduct and Integrity
While not specifically traits of a strong work ethic, it would be remiss not to touch on these. Demonstrating honesty, trustworthiness and ethical decision-making is highly valued by employers. Organisations are continually on the lookout for employees who will uphold their values, and act with integrity with colleagues, clients and stakeholders alike. Maintaining high standards of ethical conduct and integrity helps build a positive culture, trust and credibility.
Recruitment is an essential process for any business, but it can also be costly. The time, effort, and resources required to attract, screen, and hire candidates can quickly add up. The average cost of a bad hire can be up to 30% of the employee’s first-year earnings.
Fortunately, there is a solution to reduce the cost of recruitment while still attracting top talent: partnering to a professional recruiter like PERSOLKELLY.
Here are some of the ways in which outsourcing recruitment to PERSOLKELLY can help businesses save time and money:
Reduce advertising costs: One of the biggest expenses in recruitment is advertising job openings. Posting job listings on job boards or in newspapers can be expensive, particularly for businesses with multiple openings. PERSOLKELLY has an extensive network of job boards and social media channels that it uses to advertise job openings, reducing the cost of advertising for businesses.
Streamline the hiring process: The hiring process can be lengthy and time-consuming, particularly for businesses that lack a dedicated HR team. PERSOLKELLY can help businesses streamline the hiring process by handling all aspects of the process, including screening resumes, scheduling interviews, and conducting background checks. We can also support you in areas that people don’t often talk about, like counter offers. This can reduce the amount of time and effort required from internal staff, freeing them up to focus on other business priorities.
Access to a wider pool of talent: Businesses that try to recruit candidates internally may miss out on top talent who are not actively looking for work or do not see your company’s job ad. PERSOLKELLY has an extensive network of candidates, including passive candidates who are open to new opportunities. These relationships have been built over many years with the time invested in building our candidate database. This can help businesses find the best candidate for the job and reduce the cost of turnover.
Expertise in candidate assessment: One of the biggest costs to a business is investing in the wrong candidate. PERSOLKELLY has extensive experience in candidate assessment, including conducting skills tests and assessing cultural fit. This can help businesses reduce the risk of hiring the wrong candidate and save money in the long run. Additionally, if the candidate does not progress as expected, partnering with PERSOLKELLY provides you with a replacement guarantee, ensuring the investment is not lost.
Partnering with a professional recruiter like PERSOLKELLY can help businesses reduce the cost of recruitment while still attracting top talent. By leveraging the agency’s expertise, businesses can streamline the hiring process, access a wider pool of talent and reduce the risk of hiring the wrong candidate.
With the ever-increasing demand for talented ICT professionals, businesses in New Zealand are facing a significant challenge when it comes to finding the right people for the job. That’s where PERSOLKELLY (PSK) New Zealand’s ICT Division comes in. We are excited to introduce our new division, which provides quality ICT recruitment services in New Zealand. With Regina Lai at the helm, we are confident in our ability to place top talent in roles such as BI, DW and Analytics, Business and Systems Analyst, Data Analyst, Infrastructure and Support, Security Consultant / Specialist, Software Developer, and more.
Why Choose PSK’s ICT Division: At PSK, we are committed to revolutionizing ICT recruitment in New Zealand. Here’s why you should choose us for your next recruitment needs:
1. Expertise: Our team of experienced recruiters has a deep understanding of the ICT industry and the skills required for success. We work closely with businesses to identify their unique needs and find candidates who are the perfect fit.
2. Quality Candidates: We have an extensive network of talented ICT professionals, both locally and internationally. We screen all candidates rigorously to ensure they meet our high standards of quality and suitability.
3. Personalised Service: At PSK, we believe in building long-term relationships with our clients. We take the time to understand your business and your recruitment needs, and we work closely with you to find the right people for the job.
4. Commitment to Success: We are committed to providing the best possible service to both clients and candidates alike. We are dedicated to helping businesses find the talent they need to achieve their goals, and to helping candidates find their dream jobs.
We are passionate about helping businesses and candidates succeed in the ICT industry. With our expertise, commitment to quality, personalised service, and dedication to success, we are confident in our ability to revolutionize ICT recruitment in New Zealand. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you find the right talent for your business, or to explore your career options in the ICT industry.
In this blog, we discuss the significant role of SMEs in the Australian economy, their limited access to large financial sources, and the challenges they face during economic crises. The post-pandemic recovery creates opportunities for small to medium-sized accounting practices to grow and provide tailored solutions to SMEs. The key is to address SMEs’ unique needs, cost-effective measures and innovative ideas to navigate the current economic landscape.
Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs) play a significant role in the Australian economy. They contribute 54% to the total GDP across a range of industries, making them the top employers of the nation’s business workforce, with 41% of employees. However, SMEs have limited access to large financial sources, making them fragile during economic crises. The COVID-19 pandemic created supply-side shocks globally, leading to price pressure for SMEs trying to correspond to the market demand.
The Australian economy is recovering from the pandemic quicker than other developed nations, and the recovery period is expected to end by the end of the second half of 2023. This change has significant implications for small to medium-sized accounting practices. As the economy recovers, these practices will have more opportunities to grow their business, service more clients and increase their ability to provide business services, tax consultancy, and financial planning.
With this positive turnaround, there are also more job opportunities for accountants in public practice. Accounting firms are increasingly paying at competitive levels and providing flexibility, support, and mentoring far beyond what commercial enterprises can offer. This shift is a significant change from previous trends where accounting firms paid less than industry/commercial companies.
However, the macroeconomic environment will continue to impact SMEs from various channels, such as reduced consumer spending, inflation, increasing wages, skill shortages, and bad debts. SMEs in high financial debt are at a higher risk of bankruptcy, while those with less financial stress are concerned about lower profit margins. In the first half of the 2023 recovery period, slower business activities, cost-effective solutions, limited employment, and consequently low economic growth are expected.
Therefore, it is essential for small accounting practices to consider these challenges and focus on strategies to support SMEs in these uncertain times. The key is to provide tailored solutions that address their unique needs, including financial support, cost-effective measures, and innovative ideas that can help SMEs navigate through the current economic landscape. This approach will help small accounting practices not only survive but thrive in the post-pandemic economy.
PERSOLKELLY Australia is a leading recruitment company that can help businesses find the right employees to meet their business needs in the Accounting and Finance space. Our experienced recruitment team uses a range of sourcing methods and selection tools to identify and attract top talent. We work closely with clients to understand their specific requirements and culture, ensuring we find candidates who fit the job and the organisation.
Recruitment is a crucial process for any business, as it helps to identify and attract the most talented and qualified candidates for job openings. However, it can also be a painful and time-consuming task for hiring managers, particularly for those who lack experience in the hiring process. Fortunately, partnering with a professional recruitment company can bring numerous benefits, making it a wise investment for any business.
One of the most significant benefits of outsourcing recruitment is that it saves time and resources. A dedicated recruitment company can handle all aspects of the hiring process, from screening resumes to scheduling interviews, allowing hiring managers to focus on their core responsibilities. This can be particularly beneficial for small and medium-sized businesses that do not have a dedicated HR department, as it can help them avoid the cost of hiring additional staff.
Another key advantage of working with a recruitment partner is the access to a wider pool of talent. Recruitment companies typically have a vast network of candidates, including passive candidates who are not actively looking for work but may be open to new opportunities. This can be especially beneficial for businesses seeking to fill specialized or hard-to-fill positions, as it can be challenging for internal recruiters to reach these candidates.
Finally, outsourcing recruitment can also lead to better-quality hires. Professional recruiters have extensive experience in assessing candidate skills, qualifications, and experience. They can use their expertise to identify the best candidates for the job and ensure that they are a good fit for the company culture. This can help businesses reduce the risk of hiring the wrong candidate, which can be costly in terms of time and resources.
Partnering with PERSOLKELLY can bring numerous benefits to businesses, including saving time and resources, accessing a wider pool of both passive and active talent and making better-quality hires. By leaving recruitment to the experts, hiring managers can focus on their core responsibilities and ensure that their business has access to the best talent available.
In conjunction with International Women’s Day, PERSOLKELLY spoke with Amelia Collins to talk about her role as a leader in the workplace, what inspires and defines her to “Work, and Smile” in her work and personal life, and her views on diversity, inclusion, and equality (DI&E).
Amelia currently leads the Marketing and Branding team at PERSOLKELLY and Programmed Staffing for the APAC region as Regional Director, Head of Marketing. She is known for being passionate about her work. She believes that finding meaning and purpose in your work is crucial to having the energy to take on challenges and be creative. Amelia is always looking for new ways to solve old problems and inspire and motivate others to do the same.
Amelia is also a qualified fitness instructor in indoor cycling, strength training, barre, and TRX, among others. She is married and a mother of one child and a stepmother of one daughter.
Read more about Amelia and her views on leadership below. We hope her story will inspire women in the workplace in one way or another.
Q: When you started your career, did you envision playing the role you’re in today? AC: Actually, I have never spent too much time thinking too far into the future, and I am not the kind of person who sets lofty goals. Instead, I like to focus on doing well where I am at the moment, and then set goals that are challenging but achievable – I call that micro-ambition, meaning I work with purpose and intention to achieve whatever I have in front of me at the moment.
Q: Please tell us how you got a job in the recruitment industry. AC: My experience in marketing and branding initially brought me to Programmed as a consultant to help the Australian and New Zealand team to build their digital marketing capabilities. That said, I have always been interested in HR and recruitment. So, when I was offered the opportunity to join this large and leading company, I jumped right in.
Amelia presenting at the Fremantle Football Club ‘Power of Sport’ event.
Q: Now that you are leading the marketing and branding team at PERSOLKELLY and Programmed, what are your thoughts on the role of a female leader in the workplace and what makes a good leader? AC: In my opinion, having female leaders in the workplace should be as normal as it is in any other role in life. The truth is, women take on leadership roles every day – as mothers, sisters, friends, and partners – all of which require similar and complementary skills to those needed for successful leadership in the workplace. Skills like listening, coaching, pragmatism, discipline, communication, the ability to see both short and long-term, adaptability, multitasking, and prioritisation. And these are skills we often learn outside the workplace that can contribute to how we behave and perform in the workplace.
With that in mind, no workplace should lack women leaders because the world is made up of them. I believe that a good leader is curious, open-minded, interested, and interesting. Great leaders do not have to be the best at everything; they build trust and know how to bring out the best in others.
Q: How do you balance your career, your personal life (as a wife and mother), and your passion? Do you think there is such a thing as balance? AC: I personally believe that there is no real or true work-life balance because balance suggests all things are equal. For me, it’s more like juggling; I juggle a whole range of things – my family and parenting roles, friendships, mental and physical health, my passions, travel, and of course, my professional role.
There will be some days, weeks, or even months when my work gets the best of me. And to deal with this, I need to acknowledge, accept, and take a few things out of the juggle when this happens. That then helps create space to fill it back up with the elements that make it all worthwhile. And if I feel things are too overwhelming, I will always prioritise sleep, because without sleep we will never be our best for ourselves or others.
Q: What do you think about the implementation of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the workplace? AC: Diversity, equality, and inclusion are essential to a successful business. For far too long, businesses, corporations, and governments have ignored the gaps. And when there are gaps in corporate culture, those small gaps create big holes in a company. And without a real focus on accelerating change to create diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplaces, many companies will continue to operate with blind spots and fail to achieve what is possible.
That’s why we should all strive for a workplace that reflects the community – not just our local community, but a global community.
Q: What do you think are the challenges women face in the workplace today, and how do you think they can be overcome? AC: In most cultures, women are still expected to be the primary caregiver for children, ageing parents, or extended family. Recognising and supporting this important leadership role that women play outside of the workplace will only benefit the culture and performance of these people in a company.
Women often face workplace cultures or individuals within those cultures whose thinking has not evolved to understand and appreciate the importance of DEI. This is a challenge. When I feel challenged by these people or actions, I choose to rise above them or find a way around them.
Q: What advice do you have for women who want to advance their careers? AC: I was once told to never apologise for being ambitious. Because it means you care. Set achievable but challenging goals – on a micro or macro level. A great leader will give you honest and open feedback so you can grow. They would never discourage you from aiming for the next position without giving you clear feedback on the steps you need to take to get there, whether in terms of skills, behaviours, or experience.
Q: Who are the women that have inspired you? AC: The women I often admire are athletes. I find their commitment to their craft and the discipline with which they need to succeed inspiring. High performance combined with healthy behaviours – that’s how I try to live.
But the women who have shaped me are those who have given me honest advice in my life so far, and who have allowed me to reflect, grow and achieve.
Q: Lastly, how would you incorporate “Work, and Smile” into your work and how would you share PERSOLKELLY’s vision with your employees and clients? AC: “Work, and Smile” to me is working with purpose and meaning. To achieve that, we first need to find an industry we believe in and then a company that aligns with our values. Be micro-ambitious, do well with what’s in front of you, and you will work and always smile. For me, “Work, and Smile” is about being a great leader, so I can support and empower them to create their own purpose of “Work, and Smile”. And to bring this to life, I’ll keep talking about it, sharing it, and encouraging others to do the same.
“Work, and Smile” can be lived every day – in moments big and small.
Amelia with part of her team from Australia (left) and Singapore (right).
Conclusion At PERSOLKELLY, we want to recognise the presence of every woman and her contribution to the workplace. As a company, we are committed to providing equal opportunities for all genders and helping women find well-suited/desired roles in the marketplace. In line with our vision of “Work, and Smile”, we believe in putting people first and creating a positive workplace culture where they can thrive and grow to be effective leaders. In the words of Michelle Obama, “There is no limit to what we, as women, can accomplish”.
We’re always on the hunt for great people to join our team. If you’re confident and caring, proactive and passionate, smart and resourceful, and want to kick-start or continue your career in helping others achieve their career goals, then we’d love to hear from you.
By Kurt Gillam, Executive General Manager PERSOLKELLY Australia.
The field of recruitment is not only fast-paced, challenging and dynamic, but it also offers a plethora of opportunities. Consultants can not only advance their own career trajectory but help others with their own careers as well. If you’re looking for a new direction, a move into recruitment could be worth considering.
Here are five reasons to consider a recruitment career:
1. Gain valuable and in-demand skills One of the great things about working in recruitment is the skills you gather while working in the industry. A role in recruitment can build your interpersonal, communication and relationship management skills. These skills are all transferable to other industries, making them invaluable no matter which field you may choose to work in future. Recruitment is extremely people-focused and centres around interacting with a variety of individuals in a range of situations. Helping you develop soft and interactive skills and gain experience dealing with people from all walks of life.
Recruiters can conduct job matching, character assessments, interviews, background checks and due diligence in a typical day. As such, the job naturally suits analytical and organised individuals with excellent time management skills. A job in recruitment will help you learn and further develop a range of easily transferable skills that you’ll continue to draw on for years to come, no matter what industry you end up in.
2. Help others while you also advance A career in recruitment means regularly interacting with employers and job seekers, helping you improve your interpersonal skills and active listening ability. It’s important to be able to carefully listen to both clients and candidates to find out exactly what they’re looking for. Doing so can vastly improve your problem-solving skills and foster critical thinking while helping individuals and companies find their perfect matches.
Finding good fits for both active or passive job seekers and organisations will widen your understanding of the job market and how it differs between industries and roles. Finding these perfect fits involves interacting with hiring managers, human resources teams and high-profile positions with companies, helping you build up a valuable range of connections.
You may use these connections to help find candidates or even for the advancement of your own career.
3. It’s a fast-moving and ever-changing industry Recruitment is dynamic, offering countless opportunities for change and growth. As industries and job markets change, the recruitment industry evolves. New technologies have come along and transformed the way the recruitment process is conducted. From paperless applications, and digital background checks through to remote video interviews and testing suites. While application Tracking Systems (ATS) have streamlined and automated parts of the hiring process.
Advancing technologies have also brought about numerous improvements in learning opportunities available to recruiters, such as online training and conferences. You’ll have the chance to develop leadership skills, set clear directions and be agile as you advance through your career in recruitment.
4. Autonomy can assist in better mental health Recruitment is a people business that revolves around servicing the needs of candidates and clients. Like many roles over the past few years, recruitment has become more agile and flexible in terms of the location in which work is conducted. As consultants will often meet with clients and candidates both in and out of the office, it’s a career that suits driven individuals that thrive working autonomously.
According to Mental Health UK, autonomy in the workplace can help promote better mental health and even prevent excess stress and burnout.
5. It’s an in-demand profession The 2021 Business Market Insights report predicted that the online recruitment industry in APAC is expected to grow from USD6.8 billion in 2021 to USD12.4 billion by 2028, nearly doubling in just seven years.
As the job market continues to boom after being heavily impacted by the pandemic, the search for clients will ensure the demand for qualified recruitment consultants remains high. Resulting in great prospects for those either already in the industry or looking to enter recruitment.
Conclusion There’s no doubt that a career in an established recruitment firm has many long-term benefits for your career. Transferrable skills, and building your network while also helping candidates achieve their career goals are just a few of the things to be gained from a career in the industry.
Once you build your career, the rewards are endless. Quite often, there is nothing quite as rewarding that the long-term friendships that you will build with your colleagues as a result of working in a vibrant company culture, however, you will have the opportunity to get back from what you put in – be it interstate or overseas travel, awards and prizes, learning and development opportunities, promotions and uncapped earning potential. The sky really is the limit.
If you’re looking for a change to a challenging yet rewarding job, then a role in recruitment could be the perfect move for you. You never know where it’ll take you.
We’re always on the hunt for great people to join our team. If you’re confident and caring, proactive and passionate, smart and resourceful, and want to kick-start or continue your career in helping others achieve their career goals, then we’d love to hear from you.
By Foo See Yang, Managing Director & Country Head of PERSOLKELLY Singapore
In recent months, a new term has been trending on the popular social media platform TikTok, called “quiet quitting”. At the same time, in an article by the World Economic Forum, the hashtag #QuietQuitting hit 17 million views on TikTok, and currently trending with 317.5 million views worldwide.
Although not a new concept, “quiet quitting” refers to when overwhelmed and overworked employees resort to only doing the bare minimum to get by at work. Quiet quitters may have no intention of leaving but do not want to participate in the hustle culture. Quiet quitting is seen as a form of employee disengagement, a protest against an imbalanced work-life balance, and a form of noncompliance. While the employee is still fulfilling job responsibilities, they refuse to take on new responsibilities and adhere to the job description that was given. These employees will not go the extra mile and decline new projects or stop volunteering for tasks.
In this article, you will learn more about the causes that lead employees to disengage from work, the effects it has on a company, and what employees and employers can do to prevent employee disengagement.
Recently, we ran a poll on LinkedIn andfound out that there are some common factors that cause employees to quietly quit their jobs:
1. Lack of Managerial Support
Over a third (36%) of respondents voted that the reason employees quiet quit is because their manager doesn’t appreciate their effort. Working under a leader who does not support their team will discourage and demotivate them to endure difficulties at work. A caring and considerate supervisor can do much to keep employees motivated and maintain employee engagement. However, they are more likely to withdraw if the supervisors do not support them. When employees feel their managers will not help them, they put up barriers.
2. Poorly Compensated
Around a third (34%) of respondents said that the reason employees quietly quit is because the pay does not justify the effort. So they “only do the work that they are paid for”. Many quiet quitters strongly feel that they are poorly compensated for the effort they put into the work they have to do. And because of that, they decrease their efforts. Often, they have demanded better compensation but have been rebuffed or stalled, or these workers feel that the employer will not meet those demands. Aside from money, the issue is one of respect. If they are not rewarded for their extra work, they feel that the employer does not properly appreciate their sacrifice and effort. This would then lead to workers feeling exploited.
3. Overworked and Overstressed
Around a quarter (26%) of respondents voted that the reason employees quietly quit is because they no longer enjoy their work. This may be due to overwork or overstress. Quiet quitters were once passionate employees, but became overworked and overstressed, leading to employee burnout. Increased workload comes from staff turnover, where other employees must take over the workload before a new employee is hired, rather than the supervisor reducing the workload. This problem causes employees to become exhausted and frustrated.
Here are 3 consequences of quiet quitting in the workplace:
1. Disengagement and Dissatisfaction
The two most common effects are disengagement and an employee’s dissatisfaction with his or her job and workplace. Silent quitters work and cooperate but find no meaning in their work and often feel apathetic.
2. Stagnating Career Growth
To advance professionally, employees must take on new challenges and responsibilities. However, if employees refuse to expand their skills through new challenges and responsibilities, then they are just being stagnant. By doing so, they are only sabotaging their career.
3. Decreased Output
One of the most obvious effects is the reduced work output of a quiet quitter. They may be meeting the minimum requirements for their job. Creativity and collaboration are also affected when an employee decides to quietly quit.
So, what can employees do to quit quiet quitting? Here are 3 tips:
1. Be Efficient
It’s important to achieve a good work-life balance, but we still need to be committed when we are on the job. So, make sure that time is used efficiently during working hours – focus on doing the job well.
2. Take Ownership
Employees need to take responsibility for their career growth and understand why they feel burned out and why they have resorted to quietlyquitting. It is not sustainable if the role does not give the employee a greater sense of purpose and appreciation at work.
3. Communicate With the Employer and Not On Social Media
Before employees express why they are quietly quitting on their social media platforms, it is better to seek an open and honest conversation with your direct supervisor. Take this conversation with the employer as an opportunity to share feedback with them – be very specific. Have an honest and open conversation, but be professional.. However, in addressing the issue of quiet quitters and employee burnout, employers and management must also play their part.
3 ways employers can solve the quiet quitting crisis in their workplace:
1. Make Sure Employees Feel Valued
Employers need to make sure their employees are valued for their contribution, skills, and work. A Gallup Workhuman survey found that in companies where employee recognition is a high priority, employees are 56% less likely to look for a new job. A good start would be to recognise milestones in employees’ lives, such as work anniversaries and birthdays, and celebrate goals achieved or projects completed.
2. Invest in Employee Well-being
Employee well-being and engagement work together. Therefore, employers should prioritise employee well-being by offering support and assistance programmes when employees are struggling. Other well-being benefits could include:
i. Weekly massages; ii. Office meditation classes during lunch break; iii. Providing the option of flexible work schedules ; iv. Encouraging employees to leave on time and take regular breaks and etc.
3. Keeping People Engaged in Their Work
It is important to recognise and value one’s contributions to build employee ownership of their work. Employers should create an open space for their employees to express their ideas and discuss solutions relating to work. Employers need to listen to their employees, especially younger employees, as this not only makes them feel valued but also makes them feel more connected to their work. This is even more important for younger workers as they are looking for a space to be heard.
It can be difficult to detect because some signs may be unintentional or stem from other types of conflict. However, it would be a good start to address changes in your employees’ well-being, performance, and concerns.
Conclusion
Despite being a trend in TikTok videos, Insider found that there are many TikTok users discouraging people from doing so. Remember that communication is key – not social media, but open and professional communication with your employers about your challenges at work. For employers, it is important to continually provide an environment that encourages staff to thrive in the workplace. As for employees, whatever the reason may be, they need to recognise that quietly quitting may hurt their future more than making the move to a new job and a better workplace. Whatever the workforce challenges, look for the opportunity to speak to your leader. There’s nothing to lose but everything to gain in this. Even if the conversation does not work out, you can still look out for other doors of opportunity more suitable for you and your lifestyle. We spend one third of our life at work. It is important to find a role within an organisation that allows you to Work, and Smile.
Australia and New Zealand have made significant progress in their economic recoveries after a couple of years of disruption due to the pandemic and overseas turmoil.
Organisations of all types and sizes are dealing with a host of economic challenges following the setbacks and restrictions of COVID-19 and a fresh set of obstacles confront businesses in both countries.
Chief amongst these is the acute labour shortage that is compounding the difficulties for business managers in both retaining existing staff and developing the workforce capability for growth and expansion.
We are seeing historically low levels of unemployment in both countries. With immigration yet to return to pre-pandemic levels, the challenge of filling vacancies and acquiring skills is set to remain for some time.
The other big development is the outbreak of inflation and associated rising interest rates. As in other developed economies, both Australia and New Zealand are being forced to confront an economic phenomenon that has been largely dormant for close to 50 years and, once again, deal with the many challenges this brings for wages, interest rates and the cost of living.
Our 2022-23 PERSOLKELLY and Programmed Economic and Employment Key Insights and Salary Guide offers a wide-ranging analysis of both Australia and New Zealand’s economies, including at state, territory and region levels as well as a dive into the forces at play in each of the industry sectors in which we operate.
The Salary Guide compiles accurate information on wages and salaries from our experts in the field across key industry sectors. This comprehensive report has become a valued and indispensable tool for those wishing to understand the movement of wages and salaries across a range of occupations and positions in both Australia and New Zealand.
Below is a peek at some of the standout insights from the report.
Australia After a lengthy COVID hibernation, Australia’s economy has bounced back strongly as consumers and businesses have regained their confidence.
3.3% annual GDP growth
3.9% record unemployment rate
5.1% annual inflation rate, the highest in 20 years
Australian Capital Territory Canberra’s economy has been resilient in the face of COVID lockdowns and looks likely to benefit from a change of national government.
New South Wales The most populous state has bounced back from COVID faster than expected, and it has a vast pipeline of infrastructure work that will propel its fortunes.
Queensland Turmoil on the international stage initially dealt a heavy blow to Queensland’s economy, but the tide has turned and the state is now reaping rewards.
South Australia The state’s recovery has been quicker than forecast but there is work to do to rebuild confidence and create jobs.
Victoria The state endured some of its darkest days during the pandemic as businesses shut and the population was locked down, but activity is now bouncing back.
Western Australia The state incurred much flak for its rigid approach to border closures during the COVID pandemic, but it now has the results to show for it.
Northern Territory The loss of international tourists during the pandemic hit the Territory especially hard but it has provided the chance to diversify and attract new industries.
Tasmania The island state belies its size with an outperforming economy and a newfound appeal from those on the mainland attracted to its lifestyle.
New Zealand As the country emerges from the COVID pandemic, it faces an outbreak of a different kind that has policymakers worried. After years of tepid price increases, inflation has broken out in New Zealand and prompted swift action to raise interest rates and curtail spending.
6.9% inflation rate
5.6% annual GDP growth
Jobless rate at near-record low
Auckland New Zealand’s largest city was the epicentre of COVID-related lockdowns and saw its economic performance suffer as businesses closed their doors.
Christchurch The city has been able to sidestep pandemic restrictions on business and fall back on its traditional mainstays to produce an outsized economic performance.
Wellington The nation’s capital was insulated from the worst of the pandemic and has started to rebound. Wellington has weathered much of the country’s economic slowdown, largely as a result of a more resilient workforce that has not incurred the same setbacks as in other parts of New Zealand.
Click here to download the 2022-23 PERSOLKELLY and Programmed Economic and Employment Key Insights and Salary Guide today to find out more. Or talk to one of our consultants who can talk through how to use the guide to improve your attraction and retention strategies.
Managing a remote or hybrid team can be challenging. Team members not being physically present presents its own set of challenges. It’s hard to measure how much time your team members have spent on their work without direct supervision. It can also be hard to get a sense of what they’re working on, and you may not be able to offer them the same guidance when they’re not in the same room. Although, with the right set of tools and processes, managing teams remotely doesn’t have to be difficult. There are steps and tools to help you track and follow proper processes while you keep your remote team engaged.
The TASK-based approach is a set of processes for each project:
Take the time to do research & plan before setting project directions
Allocate & communicate the scope of work & deadlines
Solve anticipated problems in advance
Keep all stakeholders informed on the project status, feedback & post-mortem reviews
According to Harvard Business School Researchers Robert Pozen and Kevin Downey, working longer hours does not necessarily mean higher productivity, but that working smarter is the key to being more effective. Therefore, it is more relevant to measure the effectiveness of your remote workers based on how well they complete each task than monitor the hours worked.
Applying the “TASK-based” approach could help you create a systematic process for your remote team to identify the specific challenges, get the work done, and measure the effectiveness or output of each member. When you manage a remote or hybrid team, it’s not realistic to measure staff performance based on the number of hours they put in. Rather, it should be measured on the output or quality of their delivery.
Take the time to do research & plan before setting project directions
This is the most important process of managing a remote or a hybrid team when beginning a project. First and foremost, all resources should be compiled under ONE virtual platform or “drawing board” for everyone’s reference which includes useful resources to support the project. This may include researched information, customer feedback, competitor activities, job scopes of team members, strategies and objectives, budgets, and others). An example of a collaborative virtual platform is Trello – a web-based Kanban-style project management software with a built-in collaborative function. Kanban is a Japanese word for “signboard”. Trello has digital signboards, lists and cards for users to create tasks, share files, collaborate and communicate with all remote team members to stay organised. It can also be integrated within Microsoft Teams.
Allocate & communicate the scope of work & deadlines
Make known the deadlines and your expectations for each part of the project to all team members. Don’t assume team members know their scope of work, deadlines and what you want if it hasn’t been explicitly communicated. Leaders lacking in communication skills can cause huge costs or delays to projects. For example, each team member may think that the work is still pending from someone else, but in reality, no one is working on it because the scope of work may be a shared responsibility. Give each team member realistic deadlines for deliverables. You may want to use an online gantt chart to track the timeline and get an overview of the team’s calendar, project status, and any pending approvals. Aside from Trello, Asana is another online project management tool that has this inbuilt timeline view.
Solve anticipated problems in advance
Once you have laid out the scope of work and deadlines for your team, it’s time to solve anticipated problems in advance. This is the stage is where you need to identify any and all roadblocks even when your team members are working remotely. Usually, the best way to discern this is by monitoring the timeline. When there’s a delay in whichever part of the scope of work, it’s a signal for you as manager to dive in to diagnose and treat the problem quickly.
Keep all stakeholders informed on project status, feedback & post-mortem reviews
Although everyone may be working remotely, with technology, you can communicate with anyone at anytime from anywhere. You can keep all your stakeholders informed on the status of the project and get their feedback using online communication tools such as Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Skype and Slack. Interval updates and feedback from all stakeholders can also help during post-mortem reviews. It can be useful to analyse the causes of failure and determine corrective steps while helping to navigate more effectively for future projects.
Conclusion There are plenty of online project management tools available today, which help in managing an entire project remotely. However, having a great tool without the right processes will not help in increasing the effectiveness of the entire remote team. The TASK-based approach is a framework for a systematicprocess that helps you to manage your entire project team remotely to ensure effective management and quality delivery of projects.
PERSOLKELLY is one of Australia and New Zealand’s leading staffing and recruitment providers. If you’re looking for work, explore our jobs, or register your details, search and apply for jobs on GO, available free from your App store. If you’re looking for staff, get in touch with us to find out how we can support your business with great people.
We’re pleased to launch our latest Workforce Insights Report, which shows that the Contingent Workforce will play an even more critical role for businesses moving forward on the back of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Over 1,000 employers from 12 markets across the APAC region were surveyed for our report, and provided their opinion about Contingent Workforce. These included Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.
You can download the full report here, which highlights the trends and adoption of a contingent workforce during and after the effects of the pandemic.
Key Takeaways
The effects of the pandemic and technological forces are reshaping business models and the nature of work across APAC. The speed of these changes, alongside economic uncertainty as supply and demand fluctuates, has encouraged companies of all sizes to rethink their traditional workforce strategies and embrace fresh hiring approaches to stay competitive.
A Contingent Workforce is already an important part of workforce strategies in APAC, with over 50% of all companies across the region surveyed saying they turn to it when experiencing a headcount shortage.
This trend is accelerating, with around 25% of companies across APAC who are already using a contingent workforce, saying they plan to expand on this over the next two years. Almost half of all companies surveyed are currently turning to a contingent workforce for up to 10% of their workforce, and are also planning to continue to expand their contingent workforce to 15% and above in the next two years.
Recruitment agencies bring speed and efficiency to the talent acquisition process and free up companies’ Human Resources and other internal teams to focus on their core competencies, leaving the specialist recruiters to do what they do best.
The Contingent Workforce forms a core part of the fast-growing Gig Economy that continues to reshape the world of work. Many contingent workers are now highly skilled in specialised areas, where they are increasingly seen by businesses as part of the mainstream workforce, and not secondary to full-timers. Our survey reports that Asia Pacific companies are most likely to offer the same or better rewards to attract the right talent for long-term assignments.
The survey findings clearly show that the contingent workforce will play an even more critical role for businesses moving forward, and that to succeed in this fast-evolving landscape, companies need to be ready to adapt quickly and have a robust Contingent Workforce strategy in place.
PERSOLKELLY is one of Australia and New Zealand’s leading staffing and recruitment providers. If you’re looking for work, explore our jobs, or register your details, search and apply for jobs on GO, available free from your App store. If you’re looking for staff, get in touch with us to find out how we can support your business with great people.
Earth Day 2022 is Friday, April 22nd and this year the annual event is all about investing in our planet to build a safe and prosperous future for everyone. Unless businesses around the globe act now, the effects of climate change will impact economies, increase scarcity, drain profits and dampen job prospects. That’s in addition to rising sea levels which will have severe impacts on coastal communities as well as far-reaching effects on every single person on Earth.
This year the team behind Earth Day is promoting the Earth Day Climate Action Summit, which is centred all-around reaching net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by mid-century to keep global temperature rises below 1.5 ° Celsius. This is the required greenhouse gas reduction needed by 2030 to meet the Paris Agreement.
While undoubtedly much of the progress needed to effectively tackle climate change must come from corporations and governments, that doesn’t mean that we as individuals don’t have important roles to play.
There are a multitude of ways that you can get involved, from attending Earth day events, joining in the movement on social media, downloading the Earth Day 2022 toolkit, helping plant trees or perhaps organising a clean-up. While Earth Day is one day a year, there are many ways you can invest in our planet to combat climate change any day of the year. Why not talk to management at your company about implementing more recycling, getting rid of single-use plastics and other sustainable initiatives?
When choosing which politicians you want to represent you from a council level all the way to the federal level, choose ones that align with your views on climate change, sustainability and the environment. As well as voting in elections, you can also vote with your feet too. Many companies aren’t doing enough to tackle environmental issues, so you can choose to avoid supporting them with your custom and buy from companies that are putting their money where their mouth is when it comes to climate change and sustainability.
The Earth Day website has a list of 52 ways you can invest in our planet. One day for every week of the year; things you can implement on a weekly and even daily basis to ensure the impact of Earth Day is felt year-round. You can read the full list here, but below are a few favourites to inspire you:
