Skills Shortages are Here to Stay

SYDNEY, Sept. 19/Medianet International-AsiaNet/ --

New research launched today shows the skills shortages and the associated workplace expectations of Generation Y are here to stay. Due to New Zealand’s ageing population, current demands for staff are high while the supply of young people is low.

New Zealand’s population today:

Older:
In 1960 the median age of a New Zealander was 26 compared to 36 today, and in a decade it will be 39. The average age of a full-time employee has also been rising from 36 (1991) to 39 (2001), and is projected to reach 42 by 2012.

Slower:
In 1961 women averaged 4.3 children while today this figure has been halved down to 2.1 children per woman – just on par with the population replacement rate.

Smaller:
Currently 68% of the total population is of working age (15-64 years) but by 2021 it will decline to just 50%.

``Occasionally in history rapid technological change combines with massive demographic change and with one generation society altogether alters. Today we are living in one such era,’’ stated the report’s author Mark McCrindle.

The generation gap is evident from the new generation of workers:

Part-time:
Around 23% of the total workforce is employed on a part-time basis, with 17.5% indicating that they would like to work more hours.

Global:
There are 30,300 fewer men than women in their 30’s in New Zealand which is attributed to the globalisation of labour drawing men overseas.

Lifestylers:
In 1960 employees averaged 12 years per employer. Today the average tenure has dropped to just 4 years.

The 21st Century Workforce:
Employers have to ensure that Generation Y are effectively trained and managed in order to guarantee that work outcomes and productivity are maintained.

Therefore the future lies in ``Bridging the Gaps’’ – helping both older employers and younger employees understand and deal with the generational differences.

``In these times of fast change, every industry and organisation is just one generation away from extinction. Unless we can understand and remain relevant to the new generation of workers we will edge towards irrelevancy,’’ says McCrindle.

The report Bridging the Gap provides employers with information about managing and retaining the new generation of workers and can be freely downloaded at www.mccrindle.com.au.

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