80% of casual workers say negative media coverage influences their job choices

BRAND POST: Humanforce, a Sydney based global provider of workforce management solutions, has revealed that negative media coverage can impact Australian businesses’ ability to attract casual workers.

80% of respondents in Humanforce’s casual worker survey stated that media coverage of a company underpaying staff would influence if they would work with that employer.

Advising that survey highlighted how negative media coverage can have long-lasting and costly effects on businesses, Humanforce founder and Managing Director, Bruce Mackenzie, stated “there have been a number of cases recently involving local businesses underpaying their casual workers.

“Negative media attention makes it harder for any business to attract the best casual workers. This comes at a substantial cost considering a reliable and talented casual worker pool is what supports the success of many Australian businesses.”

The survey also showed that there’s no hiding negative media coverage from potential casual workers, with 66% of respondents stating they would conduct an online search to research a new casual employer. And a further 64% said they would ask for word of mouth recommendations from current or previous employees before taking a casual job.

From 1st March, new clauses aimed at reducing wage-theft come into effect for casual employees covered by a Modern Award with an annualised salary clause, that will require more stringent record-keeping and overtime control measures.

Mackenzie, added “by international standards, Australia’s workforce awards and regulations are incredibly complex, which leads to errors.

“And, with the introduction of new practices for payroll aimed at minimising underpayments and non-compliance with awards, employers operating without workforce management solutions will face increasing challenges in this area.”

Mackenzie went on to say “while workforce management solutions can support employers to meet award requirements, it is critical the systems are configured and customised to specifically meet Australia’s workforce awards and regulations.

“Off-the-shelf solutions from global software vendors are not positioned to interpret Australian awards. Humanforce, as an Australian-based workforce management solutions provider with local expertise, knowledge and a development and support team on the ground here, is uniquely placed to assist local business with fully customisable solutions for the Australian market.”

Beyond an employer’s media reputation, the casual worker survey highlighted some incentives that employers can offer to attract causal staff. When assessing casual jobs and employers, respondents prioritised businesses that offered guaranteed shifts (60%), a positive and fun work culture (54%), wage incentives (52%), flexibility (47%), employee rewards (45%) and premium wages (41%).

Humanforce surveyed 500 Australians on their perspectives on casual work in the Q4 period of 2019 via the Zoho Research Platform.

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