Employers must do more to hold on to good staff this year as the economy continues to improve and workers look for better opportunities, analysts warn.
With latest ABS figures revealing the unemployment rate fell to 5.5 percent, and the latest ANZ jobs survey pointing to a six percent growth in jobs advertised in December, employees may now be at the point that they are more confident to look for new positions, and as a result, employers must ensure they don’t let their best talent slip away.
This sentiment was highlighted in a recent survey conducted by recruitment company CMG, which found that of the 930 candidates surveyed, 95 percent are looking for work, of which 73 percent are actively looking and 22 percent are passive or open to offers, with most candidates (57 percent) optimistic they will find a role in the next three months (32 percent of which are very optimistic).
David Reynolds, executive general manager consulting for CMG, said a number of employers are likely to see a mass exodus of staff in February or early March, and as a result must be careful to ensure they don’t lose their critical talent.
CommSec economist Savanth Sebastian said employers are “probably scrambling to find skilled staff and hold on to skilled staff now that the economy is certainly starting to turn around.”
Meanwhile, Australian Industry (Ai) Group chief executive Heather Ridout has warned of a possible skills shortage in 2010.