6254.0 - Career Experience, Australia, Nov 2002  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 22/09/2003   
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MEDIA RELEASE

September 22, 2003
Embargoed 11:30am (AEST)
99/2003

Full-Time Employees Stay Longer: ABS

Australians working full-time stay with their employers longer than their part-time colleagues, according to figures released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

There were 7.7 million employees aged 15 years and over in the Australian workforce at November 2002. Over three-quarters (77%) had been with their current employer for one year or more, compared with 77% in 1998 and 75% in 1996.

Less than half (43%) of full-time employees had worked five years or more for their current employer compared to 30% of part-timers. Nearly one-third (30%) of part-time employees had worked less than one year for their current employer compared with 20% of full-time employees.

Of the 6 million employees who had worked with their current employer for one year or more, over half (57%) reported some change in work in the previous 12 months. This compares with 55% in 1998 and 54% in 1996. Female employees were more likely than males to report a change in hours (24% compared with 15%), with males more likely to have experienced no change in work (46% compared with 40%).

Overall, the most commonly reported changes were:
  • More responsibility (40%);
  • New, different or extra duties (38%); and
  • Change in hours (19%).

Approximately 691,000 employees with children aged under six years took a break from work when their youngest child was born. Of these, 54,000 (8%) ceased work when their youngest child was born. Most of those who ceased work were female (96%).

Further information is in Career Experience, Australia, November 2002 (cat. no. 6254.0).