Alarming statistics show fewer shifts, shorter hours for workers

A recent study has found that unemployment is ramping up in shift work industries, as the average number of shifts and hours worked decreased significantly.

Broken up industry by industry, Deputy’s first Hourly Work Index has delivered a detailed view of the status of shift work trends across hospitality, retail, healthcare and services industries in Australia.

The data from Deputy has indicated that the “big four” major work sectors are working fewer shifts and for a shorter period.

“While average pay per shift and hour increased across almost all major shift work sectors, our data indicates that shift workers are actually earning less than they did in May due to a significant decrease in the average number of shifts and hours worked,” said Deputy chief executive Silvija Martincevic.

The statistics are alarming right across the board. In June, for example, critical and emergency services saw a significant decrease (12 per cent) in the number of hours worked. Average timesheet pays also decreased month over month, down 1.8 per cent compared with May.

“Despite this downward trend in hours worked, we know shift workers are seeking more consistent hours. Previous data from Deputy’s Big Shift Report has highlighted the growing trend of poly-employment – where shift workers are taking on multiple jobs across the same or different industries as a way to make ends meet,” said Martincevic.

For hospital workers, the average hourly pay grew by 5.3 per cent to $37.63. However, the overall number of new employees joining the sector had a huge decline, down 78 per cent compared to May.

Bar workers saw an increase in their average hourly pay, which jumped 3.24 per cent month over month. However, there was a 4.4 per cent decrease in the number of hours worked across that same time frame.

The decrease in working hours has a flow-on effect in terms of turnover rates for Australian organisations. While employee turnover is on the downside across the big four industries, so are new hires, and sadly, at a greater rate. The big four is seeing far more workers leave their shift work sector than they are bringing back in.

Another revelation found in the report was that Gen Z earned significantly less than the three previous generations. For Gen Z, an average pay per shift is around $196.91, with Baby Boomers earning, on average, $38.80 an hour and Millennials raking in $241.66 per shift.

“Notably, Generation Z workers in hospitality are facing significant cost of living challenges, with an average hourly pay of $26.94, significantly lower than their Baby Boomer counterparts who, by contrast, earned $32.44 per hour. It’s a generational pay gap that highlights the unprecedented economic pressure currently impacting younger workers,” said Martincevic.