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Talent Market Drivers Since the Start of COVID: Australia Report
LinkedIn data on what talent wants, what employers need, and what we’re learning in the Great Reshuffle
The global talent market has never changed this much, this quickly. Call it the Great Reshuffle: a time when everyone is rethinking everything.
As employees reconsider where they work and why, employers are recalibrating their talent needs and company culture. It’s a learning process for all involved, and this report is here to help you understand the biggest changes since COVID began.
We’ve pulled together our unique data set to capture how trends are driving changes in people’s attitudes, what employers are looking for, and the skills needed to unlock success in Australia’s talent market.
What talent wants from employers
Candidates are rethinking how they choose an employer.
Most important priorities for candidates overall (Australia & New Zealand)
June 2021, LinkedIn’s Talent Drivers Survey
1. Good work-life balance
2. Excellent compensation and benefits
3. Colleagues and culture
4. Open and effective management
5. Job security
Fastest-growing priorities since COVID (Australia & New Zealand)
April 2020 vs June 2021
1. Employee training +16.7%
2. High caliber talent +12.8%
3. Compensation and benefits +11.4%
4. Inclusive workplace +9.4%
5. Job security +8.7%
Good work-life balance tops the list of most important factors when considering a new employer, followed by excellent compensation and a workplace that inspires employees to do their best.
For Australia and New Zealand talent access to ongoing training grew the most in importance, up 16.7%. Working with inspirational talent (12.8%), excellent pay and benefits (11.4%), and inclusive workplaces (9.4%) also grew in importance.
Australia has a strong track record of hiring diversity, inclusivity, and belonging roles[1] - which may in part be growing talent’s awareness of the importance of inclusive workplaces.
Unsurprisingly, given the extended disruption large sectors of both economies such as tourism experienced, job security (8.7%) also grew in importance.
Global data shows companies are falling short where it matters the most.
Global Glint data found employee happiness fell by 3% between April and July 2021, while burnout signals spiked at 9%.
That may be because companies aren’t delivering what talent wants. While work-life balance and compensation are the most important priorities for candidates, employee surveys reveal that companies score poorly on those priorities relative to other factors measured.
For all the benefits of remote work talent may be enjoying in Australia and New Zealand, there’s a dark side: employees are more likely to struggle with work-life balance[2]. With remote work[3] remaining a likely reality for many, organisations should foster workplace culture to support workers, and unlock the productive gains[4] that have been witnessed from more flexible arrangements.
What employers need from talent
Employer demand for certain roles is rising fast.
Click through the tabs below to explore hiring demand trends.
Jobs with the fastest-growing demand
Q2 2021 vs Q2 2020 (Australia)
1. Teacher +7x
2. Account Executive +5x
3. Account Manager +4x
4. Full Stack Engineer +4x
5. Cloud Engineer +3x
Jobs with the fastest growing demand
Q2 2021 vs Q2 2020 (Australia)
1. Teacher +7x
2. Account Executive +5x
3. Account Manager +4x
4. Full Stack Engineer +4x
5. Cloud Engineer +3x
6. Business Analyst +3x
7. Software Engineer +3x
8. Business Development Manager +3x
9. Executive Assistant +3x
10. Technical Specialist +3x
Most in-demand jobs in Q2 2021
April 1 - June 30, 2021 (Australia)
1. Teacher
2. Software Engineer
3. Project Manager
4. Business Analyst
5. Business Development Manager
6. Account Manager
7. Registered Nurse
8. Account Executive
9. Full Stack Engineer
10. Solutions Architect
Australia’s tech sector has grown significantly
The technology workforce is in high demand, reaching a new peak of more than 805,525 workers after growing by 33,400 workers in 2020, according to Deloitte Access Economics[5]. By 2026, it’s forecast this will grow to more than 1.1 million technology workers.
Digital talent is also breaking out of the tech sector to be in demand across industries. While digitally native tech companies were likely ready to use tech solutions to facilitate remote work, many others in sectors like retail, travel, and entertainment had to rapidly evolve and adopt new technologies and skills just to keep their businesses running. These pandemic-era changes will undoubtedly alter the way all businesses integrate digital skills and digital roles into their organisations moving forward.
Increasing demand for educators
Teacher is LinkedIn’s top job in demand, and also experienced the most significant growth between 2020 and 2021. This reflects the nation's demand[6] for educators, both in schools and as tutors - with NSW reportedly needing an extra 11,000 teachers over the next decade. Following school disruption in 2020, Victoria engaged almost 4,100 teaching professionals to work as tutors in 2021. The demand surged at the end of 2020, before cooling somewhat as the school year began.
Top skills being learned by talent
People are learning skills to meet market demands.
Click the tabs below to explore how these skills connect to market demand.
Most popular courses on LinkedIn Learning: Australia
July 2020 - June 2021
1. Strategic Thinking
2. Excel Essential Training (Office 365/Microsoft 365)
3. Unconscious Bias
4. Power BI Essential Training
5. Speaking Confidently and Effectively
6. Communicating with Confidence
7. Delivering an Authentic Elevator Pitch
8. Learning Personal Branding
9. Agile Foundations
10. Learning Excel 2019
Critical thinking skills
The headline over the past few years has been that digital skills in fields like data science and software engineering are in hot demand and on the rise. And while that's true, what's floated perhaps under the radar is the growing need for communication and soft skills to help effectively navigate an increasingly hybrid workplace.
In upheaval there is opportunity for talent who can effectively identify risks and solutions, and communicate their ideas clearly. Courses such as strategic thinking, communicating with confidence, speaking confidently and effectively, and unconscious bias all reflect talent looking to find new skills to identify change and adapt with confidence.
The ongoing uncertainty of the pandemic has underscored that those who can adapt quickly and pivot to new solutions are the ones most likely to succeed. Knowing when to try out new approaches and when to sit tight requires strategic and critical thinking, as well as confident communication to get people to buy into your solution.
Personal branding skills
Australia also experienced a record number of new companies launched during the pandemic, as people tried out new business ventures[7] - from setting themselves up as independent contractors to more entrepreneurial endeavours. Personal branding and delivering a strong pitch are key skills for any talent setting out on their own.
Looking forward to a post-pandemic future
The Great Reshuffle is here: employees are rethinking their priorities, companies are reconsidering their needs, and everyone is learning to “build the plane as we fly it.” We’re all adapting to constant change, making decisions amid uncertainty, and exploring new opportunities.
And although the talent market always ebbs and flows, many of the changes we’re seeing today are unlikely to be undone. Hybrid work is here to stay, digital transformation is only accelerating, and people are building durable new skills for the future.
We’re just beginning to understand the full impact of the Great Reshuffle. But once the dust finally settles and the pandemic is far behind us, those companies who rose to meet this moment will reap the rewards in the talent market.
Methodology
For the full methodology, see the notes on the global edition of the report. All insights on this page are specific to Australia, with the exception of the graphic comparing top candidate priorities against company performance, which is based on global Glint and LinkedIn data.
1. LinkedIn Talent Blog , Australia leads Asia-Pacific in diversity efforts - the region is also gaining traction
2. LinkedIn Talent Blog, The critical hybrid work issue that companies should tackle now
3. LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Is remote work here to stay in Asia-Pacific?
4. APAC Insider, The impact of remote working on companies
5. Deloitte, ACS Australia's Digital Pulse 2021
6. ABC News, Worrying STEM teacher shortage with pressure felt in rural and remote schools
7. The Sydney Morning Herald, Record number of companies launched as COVID drives contractors, entrepreneurs