Humanforce research reveals lack of technology to be limiting flexible working options

In spite of the ongoing skill shortage across many key industries, research by Humanforce, a provider of intelligent workforce management solutions, has shown that a lack of technology in the retail workplace is limiting flexible working options with 67% of Australian part-time and casual workers still unable to secure the shifts they desire each week.

Humanforce contracted Zoho Survey to survey 500 Australian part-time and casual worker respondents on shift flexibility issues in Q4 2021.

Bruce Mackenzie, Founder and Managing Director at Humanforce notes “many Australian retailers have faced worker shortages due to closed borders and Omicron isolation requirements, creating operational and customer service challenges. While there may be an assumption that there is an overabundance of retail work today, new research shows that there is a disconnect with the local flexible workforce who are not able to secure work when they want it each week.

A key workplace challenge for part-time or casual retail employees was the lack of workplace flexibility, with 61% of workers stating that they had experienced multiple instances of being unable to swap shifts with a co-worker over the last twelve months.

For workers that need to swap shifts, 30% reported they had to find someone to cover their shift themselves, with 63% having to call or text message managers and fellow workers to swap shifts.

Only 18% of respondents currently work for employees that automate shift-swapping via online or mobile apps – with a further 44% of people saying that such a system would be important in their workplace in the future.

Mackenzie advises “a lack of technology in the retail workplace is limiting the flexible working options of many part-time and casual employees. Advanced workplace management solutions can help facilitate a flexible work environment for employees, through automating shift management, onboarding, training, leave management and more.

“People undertaking flexible work want to be able to fulfill their employment obligations around other important life commitments. They are attracted to flexible work and in a tight labour market, businesses need to position themselves as an employer of choice by having systems in place that can make the lives of their workers easier.”

Click here to contact Humanforce via their entry in the Australasian Leisure Management Supplier Directory