By Geoff Bush*
The Local Government workplace is changing because of an ageing population, but the Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ) is providing assistance to Queensland councils through the approach and assistance of the Experience Pays Awareness Strategy. The strategy, funded by the Queensland Government, aims to highlight the benefits of employing mature age workers and help address labour shortages for Queensland employers.
Raising employer and community awareness of the ageing workforce, improving attitudes towards older workers and encouraging employers to adopt age friendly workplace practices are some of the elements being addressed.
LGAQ has been highlighting the concern of skills shortages and potential labour shortages at its annual conferences and workplace relations sessions for a number of years. However, forecasters now predict a labour supply shortfall of up to 40,000 Queensland workers within four years, and at a national level the shortfall is expected to total some 200,000 workers.
Within the next few years, about
85 per cent of labour market growth will be coming from people over the age of 45 years.
Many Queensland councils are already experiencing difficulties sourcing and retaining employees. Recruitment of new staff aged up to their 60s and 70s is occurring, and flexible work practices are being introduced to retain employees past their intended retirement and/or encouraging the return of retirees to the workplace under flexible employment conditions – the retirees having satisfied their immediate retirement wishes.
For example Llew Beaton, now 63, was employed by Cairns Regional Council in 2003, as a Technical Officer with City Development and Town Planning. Llew had been unemployed for several years beforehand and had experienced a great deal of age discrimination when applying for work.
“At that time I found anyone who was over 45 or 50 was rejected in the workforce – a lot of older people could not get a job,” said Llew Beaton said.
Llew moved to Cairns in 2001 with many years’ experience in town planning in South Africa and Western Australia under his belt, but a 15 year break from the field left a gap in his skills base.
“I didn’t have any computer skills and couldn’t get a job for a number of years – it was almost humiliating,” he said.
Llew completed a course in basic computer skills with Centacare Cairns, which boosted his confidence and helped him secure the position with Council.
Llew has since proved his worth in a demanding position that includes assessing development applications, considering environmental issues, research work, report writing and working to tight time frames.
In 2006 Council offered an incentive that would inspire Llew to remain working for the next three to five years – an Alfa Romeo Spider sports car. Llew salary sacrifices into a private lease arrangement with Council and SMB Fleet Management so that he can drive his dream car.
“This is a lifelong ambition fulfilled and a great incentive to work beyond 65,” said Llew. “As long as my health holds out, why not?”
Cairns Regional Council can see the value in retaining the knowledge and skills of employees like Llew and offer working options to suit individual needs.
Councils that adopt age friendly employment practices now will be better equipped to cope with dramatic changes in labour supply. While it is one thing to know of a problem and of a possible source of a solution, it is quite often another thing to know exactly how to make it work in practice.
The LGAQ through the support and guidance of the Queensland Government’s Experience Pays Awareness Strategy is now providing those answers.
For more information on the Experience Pays Awareness Strategy contact Geoff Bush at LGAQ on (07)3000 2231 or email geoff_bush@lgaq.asn.au
*Geoff Bush is the Experience Pays Liaison Officer with the Local Government Association of Queensland.
