Minimum wages increased July 2022

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National award wage increases

The Fair Work Commission handed down a 5.2% increase to the National Minimum Wage effective from 1 July 2022.  What does that mean for you as an employer? Here are some key things to keep in mind:

  • The national minimum wage now sits at $21.38 per hour (up from $20.33) or $812.60 per week (up $40 from $772.60) based on a 38-hour week for a full-time employee. This increase applies from an employee’s first full pay period on or after 01 Jul 2022.
  • Casual employees entitled to the national minimum wage must receive a minimum $26.73 per hour, which includes their 25 per cent casual loading.
  • The increases to award wages will happen in two stages, with most award wages increasing from 1 July 2022. For 10 awards in the aviation, hospitality and tourism industries, the increase will start on 1 October 2022.
  • Businesses can use the Fairwork Pay & Conditions Tool to check the minimum pay rates that they need pay their staff.
  • Employers also need to increase superannuation contributions to 10.5% effective 1 Jul 2022.

If employers or employees have any questions about pay rates, they can contact the Fair Work Ombudsman for free advice and assistance.

Job vacancies at record levels

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Latest data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics show the unemployment rate is at its lowest level in almost 14 years with 13.4 million people in employment and 563,300 people unemployed.  Job vacancies as a share of the labour force are at record levels.

The level of job vacancies in February 2022 was 86% higher than in February 2020, prior to the start of the pandemic. The ongoing high level of vacancies reflects the pace of recovery in labour demand from the fall in May 2020, as well as businesses across the economy indicating labour shortages and ongoing disruptions to operations.

Combined with very limited immigration during COVID, this may explain why many businesses are finding it hard to recruit skilled workers.  If you’re having trouble finding the right people to join your team – get in contact with us to see if we’re the right fit for you.  sean@elevaterecruit.com.au

Great news for job seekers

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Recent stats released by SEEK for January 2022, show positive news for job seekers looking to take the next move in their careers.

National job ads are up 40% for Jan 2022 vs Jan 2021 and up 37% vs 2019 (pre-COVID). The job market in Victoria is looking particularly strong with an increase of 47% for Jan year on year, followed closely by New South Wales with an increase of 45% and Queensland’s job ads increasing 38%. ACT showed the lowest growth of 12% vs Jan last year.

And another bonus for job seekers, applications per role are down a massive 50% on average.

source: SEEK employment dashboard Jan 2022

 

Why use a recruitment agency to fill your job vacancy?

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There are many different recruitment agencies or talent acquisition agencies – all offering a variety of services, methods, and fee structures. If you have a job vacancy in your team, you may consider working with an agency to help or you might wonder where you would begin to find the right agency.

Why do I need a recruitment agency?

Recruitment is a time-consuming process and if undertaken by core staff it keeps them from performing their actual job. If the wrong candidate is taken on it can cost the business in multiple ways:

  • Time – already spent on the failed recruitment drive and having to repeat the process
  • Resource – from the people or team who spent time with the failed candidate
  • Success – the people or team may not have performed to expectations while under-resourced

 An ethical recruitment agency has the skills, experience, systems, and knowledge to:

  • effectively find a skilled candidate matching your requirements
  • find them efficiently, saving you time pouring over CVs
  • understand your company’s culture to find a candidate who will ‘fit’ the culture
  • free up your core staff to focus on their core role
  • find you a highly skilled candidate who may not have been actively looking for a new role

Minimise the risk

An important advantage of using a recruitment agency is that reputable agencies offer you security when it comes to retaining the new candidate by offering you a guarantee period. Elevate Recruitment reassures our clients by offering a replacement guarantee period* means if the candidate doesn’t work out or leaves within a set period of time, we’ll offer you a free replacement.

What makes a great recruitment agency?

Clear process – Not all agencies work the same way so it’s important your recruiter takes the time to understand you and your company. They should explain the process step by step so both parties are clear on how it will work and what is expected from each party.

Personable – You should look at your agency as an extension of your team, so your recruiter should be personable, approachable and genuinely interested in your company.

Longevity – Find out how long the agency has been in business and how much experience the recruiter has. Experienced recruiters have had the time to build up long term relationships with clients and candidates – which helps the process flow more smoothly.

Responsive – Ideally you’ll have a dedicated point of contact at the agency and they’ll make time for you, returning calls promptly or replying to emails quickly.

In summary, a great recruitment agency will help you recruit and retain the right candidates faster and, in a cost, effective way and stress-free way.

*Ts and Cs apply please ask us for more details.

Answering tricky questions – Part 3: Where do you see yourself in five years?

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For some of us, the ‘goal-setting, love-to-plan years in advance’ types – this question is easy, as you’re always thinking, and in some cases writing down your short-term and long-term goals. For the rest who don’t know what’s for dinner tonight, let alone what you’ll be doing in five years, this question may bring you out in a cold sweat.

So, what are interviewers really wanting to know by asking this question?

They’re looking to find out if this role and company will satisfy you – that your goals are in line with what the company can offer, that you’ll work hard and stay with the company for an extended period. They’re also looking to find out how driven you are and how far you might want to progress.

So how do you approach this question?

Make sure you’ve done some research on the company and the position.  By understanding the type of person they’re looking for and the company culture, you can show you understand what is needed to be successful in the role.

If you are likely to need to learn skills or gain a qualification to be successful in the role, show that you understand the work that will be involved, and how long it will take and reassure them that you’re up for it.

Right:

  • You want to give the hiring manager the impression that you’re content with the position as is. But you should also express enthusiasm about developing in a realistic way. 
  • If you plan to retire in five years, give a response that focuses on how you’ll develop your skillset within the position.
  • Most of all express enthusiasm! If you can’t be enthusiastic before you’ve started, then it will raise a red flag.

Example:

“I’m really excited by this position at Upward Digital because in five years, I’d like to be seen as an expert in SEO, and I know that’s something that I’d have the opportunity to do here. I’m also keen to take the lead in some projects in the next few years. I’ve been lucky enough to work with some amazing project managers, and so developing into a great project manager myself is something I’m really excited about.”

Avoid

  • Being flippant. This is not the time to say you hope to win Lotto and be retired, on a beach drinking pina coladas.
  • Telling the interviewer that you plan to have their job in five years. And this isn’t the time to say you plan to be CEO (unless of course you are applying for a CEO position.)
  • Talking about side projects even if that might be where your dream job might lie.  Eg. “In my spare time I’ve started developing an app – I’ve been working on it for a year now and it’s almost done. That’s where my real passion lies and one day, I’d like to do this full time”.