6226.0 - Participation, Job Search and Mobility, Australia, February 2016 Quality Declaration 
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 10/11/2016   
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LABOUR MOBILITY

Persons who worked in February 2016, who had been with their current employer/business for less than 12 months, were asked whether they had changed their employer/business in the previous 12 months. Those who had changed employer/business were then asked if they had changed their occupation, or industry, or usual hours worked, between their last and current employer/business.

Those employees who had worked for their current employer for one year or more were asked whether they had been promoted, and/or transferred to a different position, and/or changed occupation, and/or changed usual hours worked in the 12 months to February 2016.

Information was also collected from persons who were not working and who ceased a job in the previous 12 months.

The framework below only includes those persons aged 15 years and over who worked at some time during the year ending February 2016. These were classified according to the duration of their employment with their current employer/business.

Conceptual framework: Labour mobility


PERSONS WITH THEIR CURRENT EMPLOYER/BUSINESS FOR LESS THAN 12 MONTHS

There were 2.2 million persons who had been with their current employer for less than 12 months. Of these: (Datacube 18)

  • 44% changed their employer/business in the last 12 months;
  • 9% were professionals and 7% were technicians and trade workers; and
  • 5% worked in Retail trade and 5% worked in Accommodation and food services. (Datacube 17 and 18)

Of the 950,300 persons who had changed their employer/business (last to current employer/business) in the last 12 months:
  • 71% changed their usual hours worked;
  • 54% had changed their industry Division;
  • 49% changed their major occupation group; and
  • 36% changed their status in employment. (Datacube 16)

PERSONS WITH THEIR CURRENT EMPLOYER/BUSINESS FOR ONE YEAR OR MORE

There were 9.8 million persons who had been working for the same employer/business for one year or more. Of these:
  • 54% were males;
  • 23% were professionals, 15% were technicians and trade workers and 15% were clerical and administrative workers;
  • 13% worked in the Healthcare and social assistance industry and 10% worked in the Retail trade industry; and
  • 81% were employees. (Tables 16, 17 and 18)

Of the 7.9 million employees who had been with their current employer for one year or more:
  • 51% were males;
  • 16% were promoted and/or transferred;
  • 2% changed their occupation; and
  • 11% of employees had a change in their usual hours worked. (Datacube 16)

There were 3.2 million persons who had been with their current employer/business for 10 years or more comprising 1.8 million males and 1.4 million females.

PERSONS WHO CEASED A JOB DURING THE YEAR ENDING FEBRUARY

There were 12.8 million persons who worked at some time during the year. Of these, 1.9 million ceased a job during the year. Around 63% of these persons left their last job for voluntary reasons, and the remaining 695,000 left their last job involuntarily. (Datacube 9 and 19)

Of those persons who voluntarily left a job during the year, 32% had been working in that job for less than 12 months. For these persons, the most common reason for ceasing their job was to obtain a better job or conditions/just wanted a change (33%), followed by unsatisfactory work arrangements, pay or hours (25%). (Datacube 9)

For the 812,500 persons whose previous job duration was one year or more, the most common reason for leaving (34%) was to obtain a better job or conditions/just wanted a change (44% for males and 27% for females). Family reasons: marry/children/look after others/have holiday/moved house/spouse transferred (19%) was the next most common reason (8% for males and 27% for females). (Datacube 9)

Approximately 47% of persons who involuntarily lost a job during the year were retrenched. The next most common reason for persons involuntarily ceasing their last job was job ended, was temporary or seasonal (36%). (Datacube 9)