Trusted global casuals and temporary staff hiring solutions platform, Sidekicker, recently announced its June index. The Sidekicker Jobs Index analyses data from more than 27,000 workers (known as Sidekicks) across 7,000+ businesses from several sectors in Australia.
What were the findings of Siderkicker’s index?
Key findings from the Jobs Index include:
- The Sidekicker Index indicated a 17% month-over-month (MoM) decline in the number of shifts per business in June, with Victoria (-40%) and Western Australia (-47%) seeing the biggest fall YoY. The Index has also seen the largest year-over-year (YoY) growth in applications per shift in Western Australia (50%) and Queensland (76%).
- Industries such as Hospitality and Events, and Aged Care, which suffered immense labour shortages in mid-2022, are now experiencing the strongest easing in demand. Hospitality and Events and Aged Care also saw the biggest decline in shifts per customer, falling 44% YoY and 38% YoY, respectively.
What do the findings mean for Australia’s economy?
Thomas Amos, CEO and Co-founder of Sidekicker, commented, “According to the latest Sidekicker Jobs Index, labour shortages continue to ease in Australia. Companies are hiring fewer casuals than they were compared with June 2022, with the average business posting 9% less shifts year-on-year. April to July 2022 was the height of the jobs boom, driven by consumer demand, COVID-related absenteeism and the lack of international workers.”
“With these factors now largely resolved, we expect to see a continued YoY decline in shifts per customer until around October 2023. Industries such as Hospitality and Events, and Aged Care, which suffered immense labour shortages in mid-2022, are now experiencing the strongest easing in demand. Hospitality and Events and Aged Care also saw the biggest decline in shifts per customer, falling 44% YoY and 38% YoY, respectively,” Thomas added.
“The June Sidekicker Index indicated a 17% month-over-month decline in the number of shifts per business in June, with Victoria (-40%) and Western Australia (-47%) seeing the biggest fall year-over-year. The Index has also seen the largest year-over-year growth in applications per shift in Western Australia (50%) and Queensland (76%),” Thomas said.
“We’ve also seen a normalisation between Australia and New Zealand as both countries exited lockdowns at different speeds. New Zealand was slower to come out of lockdown and as such the shifts per business have been steadily trending upwards whereas Australia rushed out of lockdowns in early 2022 and saw an earlier rise in businesses needing more staff.”
