That's the message in my inbox today, from (an Aussie publication) Transport and Logistics News. ( http://www.tandlnews.com.au/2013/10/10/article/skill-up-or-lose-your-job/ )
Note: I should edit this down a bit - but feeling mentally lazy.
But the message is simple - if you want to keep your job, find a way to develop your skills and make yourself more useful to your boss.
My XJW friend's son-in-law spent 6 long years doing an engineering degree part time, and was rewarded not long ago when two large mining companies competed for his services.
And, interestingly, I was talking last week to a Singaporean businessman, who sells equipment that he buys from both Italy and China. He told me that in the last 18 months, a completely different attitude in the Chinese factories. The focus is on doing things better, training your workers, and with that emphasis, paying higher wages.
That accords with my own observations in Asian news reports. Some 6 years ago, I noted an article in Bangkok's Asian Times, that the Guangzhou City Government was not renewing leases of cheap shoe manufacturers. It was telling them to move to west China, or Vietnam. The reason was that the factory space was needed for higher priced (and, more technical) products.
So don't waste any time in church (or, maybe even here) go study and increase your skills and move up the skill chain and keep a job (smile)
Skill up or lose your job
October 10, 2013 | Posted by:Charles Pauka Employers are demanding more of workers than ever before, with 84% of Australians saying organisations are making higher demands on their skills than five years ago, according to the latest Randstad Workmonitor.Globally, employers in the Asia Pacific region are among the most demanding with 94% of Chinese workers, 93% of Malaysian and 85% of workers in Hong Kong saying their bosses demand more now than five years ago.
The Randstad Workmonitor, commissioned by recruitment & HR services company Randstad, surveys over 13,000 people across 32 countries each quarter, also shows that almost three quarters (73%) of Australian workers expect their job requirements to become even more demanding in the future, with over a quarter (28%) concerned this increase in demand will leave them unable to fulfil employer expectations.
Despite this, there is a significant disconnect around how workers will meet these changing demands.
While two thirds of Australians say their job requirements have changed significantly over the past five years, 21% believe they don’t have any responsibility in ensuring their skills correspond with these new demands, while 89% believe the responsibility lays at their employers’ feet.
These figures are dramatically different from the rest of the Asia Pacific region, where employees take far greater responsibility keeping up with the changing workforce. Eighty-nine per cent of workers in Singapore, 94% of Malaysians and 93% of Hong Kong employees all believe they share responsibility with their employer for improving their professional skills.
Group director of Randstad Steve Shepherd believes a highly talented workforce is vital to the continued success of the Australian economy.
“If Australia is going to maintain its position as one of the most successful economies in the region, it’s important that businesses and employees alike place a premium on developing skills. This needs to be done at all levels of an organisation, to keep local businesses at the forefront of global industries. As an industry professional, developing strong skillsets will help you stand out from others in your field.
“Ultimately, the responsibility rests with both the individual and the employer. All businesses need to actively invest in training and up-skilling their employees, and Australians should feel more encouraged to seek out opportunities to do so from their employer,” says Shepherd.
Interestingly, two areas that stand out for many organisations are digital literacy and social skills, with 87% saying digital skills have become even more vital over the past five years and 66% saying employers are placing a greater importance on their social skill set.
Steve Shepherd believes this shows the wide range of skills workers should be looking to improve in order to remain attractive in the future job market.
“There are a range of traits and skills employers will increasingly find valuable. People are expected to be far more versatile and knowledgeable in a range of areas than in previous generations. The trick for people is to identify areas where they haven’t had previous training, and skills which are important in their industry or business in the years ahead.
“Workers should feel open to discussing this with their managers. Becoming proficient in areas which are vital to a business is not only a good way to prove your value, but also become in-demand in the wider job market.
“Businesses should also welcome the opportunity to develop their workforce in a range of areas, to harness their passions and interests. Finding areas which are useful to both the organisation and the employee is often the key to future growth and higher performance and productivity,” says Shepherd.
Job satisfaction low
Australian employees displayed a lower job satisfaction level than their counterparts around the world, with 28% of local workers saying they are unsatisfied in their current position. Only 26% admitted to feeling very satisfied in their position.
This compares to 77% of Canadians saying they are satisfied in their position, 74% of those in the USA and 73% of New Zealand workers. In Europe, employees in Denmark and Luxembourg (both 78%) are most satisfied with their current employer, followed by Switzerland (77%) and The Netherlands (75%). Employees from Hungary (49%) and Greece (52%) are the least satisfied.
Outside Europe, most satisfied employees can be found in India (84%), followed by Malaysia (77%). Employees are least satisfied in Japan (44%) followed by Hong Kong (47%) and Singapore (56%).
Employee confidence increased slightly
The confidence of finding a comparable job within six months increased slightly for the first time after a year long decline to 65%. Sweden, Japan, Argentina and Malaysia all show a rise in confidence whereas confidence declined in The Netherlands and Poland. Confidence in finding a different job increased globally by 1% reaching 62%.
The overall fear of job loss decreased slightly to 22%, but has increased only in Greece. Belgium and Australia saw a decrease. Significant fear of job loss has increased in Japan.
