Market Insights

AUSTRALIAN EMPLOYMENT

Market Data & Industry Insights

Unemployment rate decreased in December by 0.2% from 6.6% in July – 1.5% higher than a year ago

Recruitment activity increased across all states and territories, representing the eighth consecutive monthly increase in recruitment activity. Over the year to December Job advertisements have increased by 11.1%. Although employment has recovered 90 per cent of the fall from March to May, the recovery in part-time employment has outpaced full-time employment. Over the year to December full time decreased by 0.5% 63,900, the part time share of employment increased by 12,000 people an increase of 0.3pts to 32.1%.

UNEMPLOYMENT RATE, STATES AND TERRITORIES

employment increased by 111,000 people (0.9%) to 12,583,400 people.
over the year to August 2020, employment decreased by 2.6% or 338,300 people.

KEY STATISTICS FOR EMPLOYMENT AND UNEMPLOYMENT

JOB VACANCIES INCREASE FOR THE EIGHT CONSECUTIVE MONTH

Job vacancies have increased by 1.4% in December. Over the year, job advertisements have increased by 11.1%.

JOB VACANCIES HAVE INCREASED

Recruitment activity increased across all states and territories, with the exception of Victoria with 2.7% decrease over the month. Representing the eighth consecutive monthly increase in recruitment activity. South Australia recorded the strongest increase over the month, up by 6.3. Job advertisements increased in all states and both territories over the year to December 2020.

HOURS WORKED AND EMPLOYMENT

Recovery in the labour market continued.
Employment finished the year 0.7% below the march level, having fallen 6.7% between March and May.
Although employment has recovered 90 per cent of the fall from March to May, the recovery in part-time employment has outpaced full-time employment. While part-time employment was higher than March, full-time employment was 1.3 per cent below March.

UNEMPLOYMENT RATE, STATES AND TERRITORIES

Recovery in hours slowed in December, with hours worked increasing slightly 0.1% and employment increasing 0.4%. This followed increases in hours worked 2.5% and employment 0.7% in November, and increases in hours worked 1.2% and employment 1.4% in October.
Since the low point in May, total hours worked has increased by 161.5 million hours, recovery 87% of the 185.6 million hour decreases between March and May

MONTHLY HOURS WORKED INCREASED

The number of people working fewer (or no) hours for economic reasons continued to decline in December. While for both men (259,200) and women (202,300) this is now similar to the levels recorded in March, it is still slightly higher than the average level of the previous five years.

There were over 460,000 people who worked fewer than their usual hours for economic reasons in December 2020, a decrease of almost 100,000 since November and over 1.3 million since April 2020 (when it was around 1.8 million people). This comprised:

Over 155,000 underemployed full time workers (full time who worked less than 35 hours).
Around 66,000 fullt ime workers who worked less than their usual hours in the week but still worked 35 35 hours or more.
Almost 240,000 part time workers.

UNDEREMPLOYMENT RATE DECREASED

PROPORTION OF EMPLOYED PEOPLE WORKING ZERO HOURS

The underemployment rate for the month of December decreased by 0.8% to 8.5%, (0.3% higher than a year ago).
With a underemployment rate for males 7.1 % and underemployment for rate for women 10.2%.

The proportion of employed men and women who worked zero hours in December 2020, compared to previous
December’s, was at its lowest since December 2008 for women and December 2006 for men. These year-to-year comparisons were very different to the record highs for men and women that were seen in April and May 2020 (relative to April and May in previous years).

HOURS WORKED BY INDUSTRY

The three industries with the highest number of hours actually worked in the September quarter 2020 were Health care and social assistance, Professional, scientic and technical services and Construction.

EMPLOYED PERSONS BY INDUSTRY

The three industries with the highest number of employed persons in the September quarter 2020 were Health care
and social assistance, Retail trade and Professional, scientific and technical services.

USEFUL TOOLS

The pace of recruitment will change over the next few months, and so will the way in which it’s conducted. Experts share their advice for making it work.