Investigations into options for the development of Linked Employer-Employee Data
A variety of different linked employer-employee datasets have been developed by a range of statistical agencies and central banks across the OECD, but there has been very little information produced in Australia since the Australian Workplace Industrial Relations Survey (AWIRS) was last conducted in 1995.
Data which links employers and their employees have enabled researchers abroad to explore a range of employer-employee dynamics which are not possible from separate business-level and person-level datasets. Data in Australia regarding employers (often collected from businesses) are generally unconnected to data on employees (usually collected from individuals using household surveys), and the ability to relate these types of datasets would greatly increase the type of anaylsis which can be completed. In particular data to assess the impacts of changes in the work place relations environment and employee conditions, from both an employer and employee perspective, is seen to be a key data gap from a number of users.
The ABS has explored and outlined how options for a linked employer-employee dataset could be created. These options include making additional use of existing survey and/or administrative data through integrating existing datasets, and others which would involve new data collection to fulfil emerging research and policy needs, such as workplace relations. The work to date has focussed on outlining the options, therefore any substantial development work on one or more of these options would be contingent on the ABS receiving additional resources.
For more information please contact Kirsty Leslie on (02) 6252 5436 or email <kirsty.leslie@abs.gov.au>.
Print Page
Print All