Operational areas

Adapt your talent recruitment for Australia

With over 240 days of sunshine a year, and English as its national language, it’s no surprise that Australia attracts global talent. Australia has some unique employment regulations, particularly around leave, but otherwise rather low barriers to understanding the talent landscape. This article lays out some of the key information to bear in mind when considering to grow your operations in Australia.

The market at a glance

Size of workforce

13.2m

people

Employment rate

74.1%

Education rate

51.9%

Cost of labor

$53,349

English proficiency index (world)

N/A

Finding the right talent

Social media and online networking sites such as LinkedIn are widely used in Australia, including sites like SEEK and Indeed etc. Employment agencies and newspaper ads are also used, but not as broadly as social media - or even word of mouth.

Things to keep in mind

Work-life balance is important to Australians, so pitching and supporting strong work-life balance can help attract and retain good talent. Additionally, Australians tend to have a more laid-back or informal approach to work culture, punctuality, however, is valued. It is not uncommon for people to wear sandals around the office, but it doesn’t mean that Aussies are any less productive.

Worth noting is the amount of government and regulations - particularly around such things as firing employees and workplace safety - but they should not serve as huge obstacles to entry into the market. These are simply laws to take note of for making your business successful in Australian market.

Sources:

  1. Total 2017 Labour force
  2. % of working age population
  3. % of population (25-44 yrs old) with tertiary graduation rates
  4. Average wage
  5. English proficiency index