Almost half of Australia’s working population will be looking for a new job in the coming year, according to a study commissioned by local startup, Airtasker.
The Sydney-based company released its future of work research monitor January 2015, a study conducted by online research firm pureprofile.
The research was based on a representative survey of 1004 employed Australians across the country. The study suggests that 92 per cent of those surveyed would be looking for ways to supplement their income in 2015.
The study found that 43.5 per cent of Australians said they were ‘likely’ or ‘very likely’ to look for a new job this year; 84.8 per cent of respondents strongly or moderately agreed the traditional work model was “inflexible in 2015 and into the future.”
Over three-quarters (76.4 per cent) of those surveyed said that the flexibility of self employment or freelancing made up for the lack of job security from a traditional 9 -5 role.
Airtasker claims 92 per cent of Australians will be looking for ways to supplement their income this year; 68 per cent of the country’s workforce are considering using online platforms to generate extra income in 2015. However, only four per cent currently use such a service.
The most important aspects of employment for Australians, according to the study, were: pay, flexibility to choose hours, predictability of work and satisfaction through helping others in that order.
The study comes at a time when Australian employment data is suggesting the number of jobs currently being created may not be enough to meet demand.
Airtasker co-founder and chief executive, Tim Fung, said Australians are increasingly embracing online peer-to-peer platforms to find work.
“Workers are crying out for increased flexibility from their employers and online platforms are booming because they allow people to choose what they work on and earn a solid return for their efforts.”
