Rural, remote and regional CLCs. ASU Workforce Survey 2007 1242 respondents in NSW/ACT 153 from...
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Transcript of Rural, remote and regional CLCs. ASU Workforce Survey 2007 1242 respondents in NSW/ACT 153 from...
Rural, remote and regional CLCs
ASU Workforce Survey 2007
• 1242 respondents in NSW/ACT
• 153 from rural, remote and regional areas
• Age and gender demographics reflected the industry in general
• Majority of respondents were managers - 64%
Who participated?
• 64% managers and 19.6% direct service workers
• 4% from CLCs
Expectations
• 52.9% said they would be working in the community sector in 5 years time
• 17.3% said they wouldn’t
• 35% said they were unsure
For those who stay…..
• 71.8% - I believe in the work of the non govt community sector
• 14.6% - I enjoy the client contact I have
• 7.8% - I get good money and conditions for the work I do
• 4.4% - I have good career development prospects
For those who don’t….
• 58.6% - I can get paid more for similar work elsewhere
• 17.2% - I do not have enough career opportunities in this sector
• 10.3% - I can get better conditions at work elsewhere
• 8.6% - the nature of the work is difficult or risky• 1.7% - I do not have enough opportunities for
training; Want permanent FT work and can only get casual or PT; Hard to move jobs from one part of the sector to another
Work conditions most valued
• 32.4% - Higher rates of pay
• 18.1% - Guaranteed minimum training provided by employer
• 15.4% - Less stressful work environment
• 14.1% - More opportunities to be promoted
Qualifications
• 84.3% had a relevant qualification
• 62.8% of this groups had a university qualification; 37.2% from TAFE
Barriers to gaining qualifications
• Highest ranking barriers were:
– Lack of time due to full time workload -33.3%
– Cost of course – 28.6%
– Lack of time due to family responsibilities – 24%
Barriers to recruiting/retaining staff
• Low wages – 75.2%
• Lack of skilled staff in my geographic area – 66.2%
• Lack of career development opportunities – 42.8%
• Nature of work risky or difficult – 36.6%
• Inadequate conditions – 24.1%
• Training options limited – 22.1%
Problems retaining quality staff?
• 75.8% - sometimes
• 15% - never
• 9.2% - all the time
Expected turnover – 2 years
• Less than 20% - 51.7%
• 20-49% - 33.8%
• 50-74% - 10.6%
• More than 75% - 4%
Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander workers
• Can’t attract workers to apply for jobs – 62%
• Can’t find workers with the right skills for the job – 60.9%
• Can’t provide training to skill workers for the job – 14.1%
• Can’t provide culturally appropriate support to keep workers – 22.8%
Practical strategies – Funded incentives
• salary loading to reflect degree of remoteness;• paying people at the top of salary scales • reimburse relocation costs; • annual airfares to visit family or friends; • salary sacrifice; • accommodation allowance; • greater recognition of experience in rural setting or
qualifications;• study allowances; • assistance to attend professional conferences.
Practical strategies- peer support
• A transfer system or exchange system between urban and rural CLCs
• Help someone maintain professional links/contacts – funding for conferences and training, links with local lawyers in town, skype discussions, professional development phone discussions
• Run specific rural campaigns that all other CLCs help out with
Practical strategies –information to attract staff
• Up-to-date info about the town and region such as tourism resources
• Provide info about resources available to support the position
• Send sufficient info to enable decision-making about staying for the medium to long term not the short term
• Make sure the offer of employment and appointment is clear – have all details in writing
• Tap into the ‘sea change’ workforce?• Make sure workers get info about how to manage
isolation
Practical strategies -orientation• Comprehensive orientation program and
information kit for new employees• Strategies for feeling welcome in a new
community – it takes time for personal and professional relationships to build
• Don’t make someone “earn the right” to be in the community – overtly welcome them, eg ‘welcome to the community’ function. More likely to reach their full productivity more quickly
• Meet on arrival and welcome. A starter pack of essential food! Flowers! Help with accommodation
• Opportunities for partners employment in the community;
• Child care/education of children;
• Make sure OHS and risk management issues fully covered especially for sole workers;
• Exit interviews;
• Identify if new workers will need specific skills eg. cross cultural training skills.
Practical strategies
TELCO (Wills, 2003):• Privatisation of local health services• Declining union membership and activism• Loss of delegates rights• Contracted staff - lower wages/no rights
• New, more powerful community-based mechanism to communicate directly with employer
• “Recast” union issues as community issues• Strengthened negotiations for pay parity
• Systematic program for skill development for union and community delegates/activists
• New hope for change amongst union delegates/members
• Community reciprocity - campaigning for other local priorities
• Support from National officers of UNISON critical