Australia: Jobsharing Offered as Solution for Aging Workforce

A report issued by the Hudson consulting firm suggests that, with Australia’s current skills shortage and the rapid emergence of an ageing workforce, flexible working solutions such as jobsharing will be key to attracting and retaining employees. According to their research, an overwhelming 88% of employers providing a jobshare program believe it has improved their ability to attract and retain employees. Key findings from the report show that:

• Only 40% of Australian employers currently provide a jobshare program to staff;
• 52% of employers and 73% of job seekers surveyed would consider jobsharing as a work option, now or in the future;
• 72% of those employers who would not consider jobsharing believed their role wouldn’t be suitable for sharing; 20% did not know how jobsharing could be applied in their personal circumstance; 8% said they have seen jobsharing poorly implemented in the past

According to Vilma Faoro, National Practice Leader for Hudson JobShare, “[i]t is critical for employers to embrace flexible work options in order to attract and retain talent from a broader talent pool, such as return-to-work parents and mature-age workers transitioning into retirement."

Source: News Release Hudson (February 22, 2006)