The labour market over the past few years has a close resemblance to the Star Wars trilogy, where the employees have been losing the battle in the tight labour market and are now staring to fight back according to Matthew Tukaki, head of Drake International.
“Talent Wars is what I’d call it” explains Tukaki, “and we’ve recently finished ‘Episode IV A New Reality’, which saw a new reality for employees with the skills shortage and record high employment demand being replaced by downsizing, increasing unemployment, wage freezes and re-structured working conditions including reduced hours.”
The power however seems to be shifting back in favour of employees, according to Tukaki. “Episode V, The Employees Strike Back is now beginning to play out in the labour market as employees are getting back the power they once had pre-GFC”.
Tukaki is now seeing an increase in the number of people who are currently employed ‘testing the water’ to see what their employment prospects are like.
“On a daily basis, Drake consultants are being asked what job prospects are like and who’s currently hiring. There is a real feeling of being ‘used’ and ‘burnt out’ for some employees….this often results in a counter-culture of negativity being created,” he said.
“Disgruntled employees strike back by looking for employment elsewhere, reducing their productivity, talking down the company to colleagues and not engaging with customers effectively,” he added.
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