Autumn '10
Thu, 04/15/2010 - 01:07 — The Johnson Group
Welcome
Autumn is a season of change. Days are getting shorter and nights are getting cooler, but we’re also experiencing some significant changes in the job market.
The market is more buoyant, and we’re seeing a start to some really exciting pieces of work. Our story on the high labour force participation rate illustrates how skilfully public sector managers have navigated the challenges of the recession, but we know it never gets easier to be asked to do more with less.
For some sector managers, flexible workforces are a great way of employing the right people at the right time. See our story on flexible working for advice on finding a low-cost way of using flex in your recruitment and planning strategy.
You might also like to take a look at this edition’s Recruitment Coach, which features an interesting letter about how to keep staff engaged, motivated and committed to the public sector.
This is a great time to reflect on why we’ve all chosen to stay in the public sector. Let’s keep sight of the fact that we’re all helping to create New Zealand’s future.
Leigh and Campbell
Workforce Participation Levels Strong
New Zealand’s labour force participation rate has remained high despite the recession, which the Department of Labour says suggests people are still confident about employment opportunities.
Recessions usually prompt workers to opt out of the workforce, but the latest Labour Market Update says the labour force participation rate has remained surprisingly high - especially among people aged 45-64. “We are not seeing the same level of discouragement as seen in previous recessions,” says the update.
There are also signs that employers are managing labour costs by reducing hours and containing wage increases, rather than just by reducing staffing levels.
The Johnson Group sees this as a sign of skilled, careful management during the financial downturn. “Organisations made the hard decisions about redundancies earlier on, rather than stockpiling resources,” says Campbell.
For more, go to www.dol.govt.nz
Wellington Job Ads Hit New High
New jobs ads placed on Seek reached the highest level for a year in February, with Wellington’s 9% growth outstripping all the other main centres.
The Department of Labour’s Jobs Online report also suggests the labour market is recovering, with a 6.2% increase in job ads for skilled vacancies in Wellington in February – compared with a 0.1% decrease in January.
However, the Johnson Group believes clients should be careful not to misinterpret these figures. “The main areas we monitor in the public sector have also increased, but the increase in job opportunities is because some movement has a flow-on effect. There are more job ads in the public sector, but not more jobs,” says Campbell.
For more, go to www.dol.govt.nz and www.seek.co.nz/investor/news.ascx
Training Aids Staff Retention
More than half of New Zealand workers are reported to leave their job within two years – often because of a lack of career opportunities in their current job.
A survey carried out by a human resources company found that 53% of workers left their jobs within two years. A shortage of opportunities for career development was one of the major reasons behind their decision to leave.
A Seek survey in March also found that career development was a significant factor in losing staff. The survey found that seven out of 10 New Zealanders were looking for a new job, and that three of the top four reasons for leaving work – lack of career development, bad management and not feeling appreciated – were non-financial.
Training is an important way of re-energising staff, especially at times when it is not possible to increase salaries. At the Johnson Group, we suggest that clients remember the importance of training, and encourage employees to take more responsibility for their own career development.
For more, go to www.seek.co.nz/investor/news.ascx
Len Cook Joins IPANZ
Len Cook, one of the country’s highest-achieving public servants, has been elected President of the Institute of Public Administration New Zealand (IPANZ).
Previously New Zealand’s Government Statistician, Len Cook served as Director of the UK’s Office for National Statistics, and Registrar General for England and Wales, from 2000 to 2005. He was a senior associate at Victoria University’s Institute of Policy Studies before being elected to the IPANZ role in December.
IPANZ is now planning its New Professionals conference, which will be held at Te Papa on 23-24 June. The Johnson Group will give a presentation on practical career insights at the conference, which has the theme of “Making a Difference”.
Another upcoming IPANZ event is a lunchtime seminar at Ten Puni Kokiri House on 21 April. The seminar will present the results of the Kiwis Count 2009 survey, which asked New Zealanders about their perceptions and experiences of public services.
For more, go to www.ipanz.org.nz
Flexible Workforce Saves Time and Money
The market for contractors at The Johnson Group is growing rapidly, with a 300% increase in demand since the beginning of the year.
In the current constrained fiscal climate, using a flexible workforce is a simple, cost-effective option that allows managers to plan their teams around outputs. Contractors who survived the economic storm of 2009 are seasoned professionals with a proven track record.
The downside of using a flexible workforce is that the cost can be prohibitive. One solution is to enter into an ongoing contract-to-supply agreement with a supply chain partner, such as The Johnson Group. Managers have a one-off transaction cost for an arrangement that will meet all their contracting needs for the next two or three years, which reduces time and stress, manages risk, and provides great value for money.
Call The Johnson Group if you’d like to discuss the benefits of using flex as part of your recruitment and planning needs. We can also offer a full audit of your current decision-analysis process for making hiring decisions.
Recruitment Coach
“One of the most valuable members of my team has told me she would like a change, and is considering going into the private sector. She’s very talented, and I think it would be a real shame to see her leave the public sector. Given that I can’t offer her any more money, is there any other way I can keep her motivated and engaged?
Dan, Evans Bay
It’s great that your team member feels able to discuss her career planning with you. It sounds as if she is unsure about her next step, and where the path she’s on might take her in the future.
This would be an ideal time for a career audit. Your team member would benefit from having a chance to consider what she cares about, what she’s good at, what she’d like to be doing in five years’ time, and whether she has the right skills set to get to where she wants to go.
Through our associates, The Johnson Group has a career audit programme that we’re offering to clients. It’s a good investment in staff development, and a way of retaining high-performing employees.
If you’d like to hear more about the programme, give Campbell a call.
And Finally
As Wellington’s only public sector recruitment agency, The Johnson Group recruits all professional roles in the following areas:
- Policy (strategic/operational, and economic analysis)
- Research and evaluation
- Planning and reporting
- Legal
- Human resources
- Programme/project management, technical and operations
- Communications
- Records and information
We also recruit roles in corporate services and public sector finance.
If you need to recruit any of these role to make your team complete, or if you’d like to discuss your future workforce planning, please contact us on 04 473 6699 or at info@the johnsongroup.co.nz.
Wishing you all the best,
Leigh and Campbell