Workplace 2012 - What Does It Mean For Employers?

Source: http://www.mercer.com.au/workplace2012

Profiling the workforce between now and 2012:

• The amount of workers aged 55+ in the labour force will increase by 14% – an extra 224,000 individuals. Growing from 1.7 million to 2 million.
• The amount of workers aged 25-54 in the labour force will increase by 5%.
• Women aged 55+ in the labour force will increase by 19% - 125,000 more individuals.
• Men aged 55+ will increase by 10% - 99,000 more individuals.
• Queensland's labour force is forecast to grow the fastest of any state.
• Tasmania's labour force is forecast to grow the slowest of any state.

Are you Workplace 2012 ready?

• Salary grades could become irrelevant and salary could be based on performance, with recruitment targets and bonuses set for every individual
• Employers will offer in-house child care options and salary sacrificing for children’s educations
• As national and global mobility of workers increases, relocation benefits may increase
• Benefits such as subsidised gym memberships will shift to lunch time personal training sessions or lunch time yoga at a department and team level
• Social networking websites will be encourages and used to build global and virtual business relationships internally and with clients
• Leave arrangements will be more flexible to met individual needs and desires such as extended holiday or travel, community involvement, sabbaticals or study.
• Flexible working arrangements will flourish to cater to various life stages or needs such as caring for young children or elderly relatives, involvement in school or community activities (such as coaching the local soccer team) and changing work conditions such as working within a global team.
• Subsidised financial advice and education will be provided by more employers, particularly around "transition to retirement" superannuation arrangements.
• Wellness will become a greater focus. The provision of health checks subsidised private health insurance and health education at work will become increasingly common.
• There will be more opportunities to up-skill at work, for example through technology workshops, and away from work, through greater subsidies and support for chosen hobbies, e.g. art classes, learning a language or golf membership.