Why the Australian workforce must change

Social commentator and demographer Bernard Salt recently spoke at SEEK’s Future of Work event, stressing that the Australian workforce is in a period of evolution. In response, according to Salt, we must:

… develop a culture of innovation: It’s worth considering that some of the world’s biggest companies originated in the US. Think Apple, Google, Facebook and Microsoft. Even more impressive is that some, like Facebook, only came about just over a decade ago. For perspective, some of Australia’s leaders have been around since 1885 (BHP) and 1901 (Telstra).

… take risks: Terming this the ‘YOLO spirit’, Salt commends Generation Y for their entrepreneurial nature and willingness to take risks. It is recommended that Generation X and Baby Boomers leverage the younger generation’s positive outlook for future business growth.

… learn to adapt: With around 700,000 new jobs created in Australia since 2000, the need to be fluid, adaptive and mobile has never been greater. The average 20-year-old of today is expected to have 20 jobs in 15 different organisations across their 45-year career.

… prepare for later retirement: Rising life expectancy — around 82 in Australia currently — will play a big role in the future of Australia’s workforce. With a present retirement age of 65, this offers up around 17 years in retirement. This isn’t necessarily sustainable, so it’s important to consider that, for many, working life must extend, but likely in a more flexible manner such as on a part-time or consultant basis.

See http://insightsresources.seek.com.au/5-ways-australian-workforce-change-according-bernard-salt for more information.