It is no secret that Australia’s population (and workforce) is ageing. What this represents is a disparity between the rate at which workers are exiting and entering the workforce and, soon enough, we simply won’t have enough workers to deliver the required volume of work.
To use an overrun cliché – the war for talent is ongoing and doesn’t look like subsiding any time soon. To compound matters further, current policies around migration and detention aren’t exactly tapping into the potential workforce gold mine sitting beyond our shores. Visa sub-classes for foreign nationals seeking permanent relocation to Australia and who are deemed unskilled by the government are limited.
The ingredients of this melting pot are not constrained to the numbers. We are also faced with the constant burden of social issues, most obvious effect of which is workforce participation. Workforce participation (the number of people working or actively looking for work) has decreased by 0.6% since December 2010 (ABS 2016).
As a result, organisations are faced with two options with respect to the sourcing their workforces: innovate or evaporate.
The news is not all bad however. Many excellent examples of solutions to workforce challenges which take a community minded approach have been implemented over the years and this collection is only a snapshot of those who have managed to blend workforce innovation with genuine social or community benefits.
Fairbridge Bindjareb Project
The Fairbridge Bindjareb Project (FBP) is a collaboration which provides Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples currently in the criminal justice system with industry training in a supportive environment that leads to guaranteed jobs and real careers in the mining industry. In turn, it is anticipated that involvement in the FBP will lead to positive sustainable change in participant’s lives and the lives of their families, and role modelling of those changes for future generations.
Designed and run by local Aboriginal men, the 16-week training scheme equips soon-to-be released prisoners with the skills they need to work in the mining industry. The program has a special focus on reconnecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men with their culture.
Fulham Correctional Centre
Much like the Fairbridge Binjareb Project, Fulham Correctional Centre in Eastern Gippsland works with local business to source skilled workers by delivering customised training to prisoners ensuring the skills and capabilities imparted are aligned with the needs of local businesses. Kangan TAFE are engaged to deliver education and vocational training to provide opportunities for ex-offenders to gain employment on release. Fulham Correctional Centre will engage local organisations and agencies with workforce and skill shortages and train prisoners to meet their requirements.
This refreshing approach not only creates a new talent pool for local organisations, it also significantly reduces the risk of re-offending. FCC Industry Manager Ian Riley notes that former prisoners who don’t find employment in the first three months post release are far more likely to re-offend than those who do.
The Boddington Hotseaters
Newmont Boddington Gold has developed innovative workforce strategies which respond to the needs of local communities as well as to company objectives and values. In 2009, Newmont began scheduling shorter shifts for haul truck drivers, in part to prevent downtime during morning tea and lunch breaks. A driving shift between 9am and 2pm provided a perfect opportunity for mothers of school-aged children to work in mining, as well as ensuring uninterrupted hauling at Boddington.
Opportunities to think laterally around potential labour sources are endless. Many pools of labour exist however often workers do not participate due to factors including hours of work and shift duration. By removing some of these barriers, Newmont has revealed a previously untapped talent pool. They have provided opportunities for those who ordinarily wouldn’t be able to work and would like to, and reduced OHS risks associated with longer shifts including fatigue, burnout and stress.
greynomadsjobs.com
As a nation we are becoming more alert to how we utilise the vast array of experience that lies within the baby boomer generation. A good example of this is the website greynomadsjobs.com.
greynomadsjobs.com connects workers interested in traveling, with organisations who have temporary workforce needs. Whilst not bound by age, the site is particularly popular with retirees who can (and want to) offer a valuable contribution to the workforce on a part time basis and who are interested in travelling around often stopping a while. Many organisations across Australia are realising success utilising the site to leverage knowledge, skills and experience of a segment of the workforce that may not otherwise be accessible.
Seasonal Worker Program
The Seasonal Worker Program (SWP) provides opportunities for a select group of foreign nationals to work in the Australian agriculture and accommodation industries. The Program offers seasonal labour to some employers in these industries who can’t meet their seasonal labour needs with local jobseekers.
In locations where sufficient local, reliable and returning workers are not available, the SWP enables workers from East Timor and Pacific nations to work in Australia for up to 6 months. In most circumstances these workers can return to the same workplace year after year. Once workers are trained during the first season, in most circumstances, the valuable skills and experience gained can be utilised at the same location every year, an incredibly important factor for employers with limited capacity to re-train new workers year after year.