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Trends in mining workplaces
The top priorities in the mining workplace
RECRUITMENT AGENCY HAYS PROVIDES ITS INDUSTRY OUTLOOK AND TIPS TO BE SUCCESSFUL WHEN AIMING TO PROGRESS IN THE WORKPLACE.
Uncompetitive salary drives many jobseekers looking for a new job.
The next 12 months are set to reveal many job changes if 40 per cent of Australians surveyed follow through with their intention to look for new roles.
Another 28 per cent of the 1600 professionals surveyed may join the throng, having admitted they’re potentially looking for a new job, though were ‘unsure’ at the time of enquiry, when surveyed by recruitment specialist Hays.
The recruitment company finds that the discomfort with staying in the existing role is driven by a lack of promotional opportunities (53 per cent
of participants), a lack of new challenges (42 per cent), an uncompetitive salary (41 per cent), poor training and development (27 per cent), as well as poor work-life balance (27 per cent).
These survey findings, unfortunately, do not gel well with the fact that the value of salary increases is reducing year-on-year, with 63 per cent of mining, resources, energy, oil and gas employers planning to increase salaries by a meagre three per cent or less.
The percentage of employers granting the three per cent salary increase climbed on last year, as opposed to 54 per cent in the last review. Further, only five per cent of employers, down from seven per cent, intend to grant pay increases of more than six per cent.
This company projection goes in tension with salary increases being the number one career priority of 57 per cent of mining and resources professionals this year, where 46 per cent intends to achieve this by asking their boss for a raise.
“Evidently, the aggregate effect of several years of sedate salary increases is taking its toll and we’re now seeing a
tug of war over salaries,” Hays Australia and New Zealand managing director Nick Deligiannis says.
Hays offers five tips on how to successfully prepare for a pay rise request, starting with gathering supporting evidence.
“Firstly, for your salary increase request to be successful, you need to show your boss why you deserve a raise,” Deligiannis says.
It’s not enough to say the cost of living is increasing or that someone is generally doing a good job. Employees must have specific and quantifiable evidence to present to the boss.
Employees should prepare a list of their recent achievements that exceed objectives, list any changed or rising work volumes or duties undertaken and consider projects they’ve been involved in against their last review or original job description.
Secondly, employees are recommended to research the salary they feel their performance and results are worth. This strategy will enable them to back up their pay increase request with evidence, and demonstrate that the salary being asked for is in line with current market rates.
Employees should next set a meeting to review their salary with the manager, and clearly state the objective of the meeting request.
“Don’t spring this conversation on your boss,” Deligiannis says. When it comes time for the meeting, employees should stay calm and focused, presenting clearly the gathered evidence to support the pay rise request.
Fourthly, employees should be ready when their boss wants to negotiate the value of the salary increase.
Employees should also lastly have a contingency plan, in case an employer comes back with the news that she or he cannot afford to increase their salary at this point in time. They can negotiate for an agreed date in the future, or take Employees are welcoming extra benefits now offered by employers.
on additional benefits instead.
The 2019-20 Hays salary guide points out that flexible work practices are the most common non-financial benefit offered, ahead of ongoing learning and development, and career progression opportunities.
With flexibility now seen as standard, Hays advises employers to think beyond compressed working weeks or staggered start and finish times to stand out and attract and retain the top talent.
“Think about what other genuine work-life balance solutions you can offer to appeal to a wider range of candidates. … Other popular flexible work practices include part-time employment (73 per cent), flex-place, such as working from home or an alternative location (66 per cent), flexible leave options, such as purchased leave (36 per cent), job sharing (26 per cent), career breaks (16 per cent) and phased retirements (14 per cent),” Deligiannis says.
Three non-financial benefits are offered by more employers this year compared to last: health and wellness programs, over 20 days’ annual leave and a day off for their birthday.
Of the benefits offered to a select few employees, private expenses top the list, with 70 per cent of employers offering it to a hand-picked number of workers, according to Hays’ latest salary guide.
It includes more than 3400 organisations in Australia, representing over 4.7 million employees, in addition to a survey of 1600 skilled professionals.
PROSPECT AWARDS 2019 AUSTRALIAN MINING
