Robert Half’s Special Australian Report-2021 uncovers the demand for skilled talent, citing that employers are on the lookout for candidates who have a digital-first mindset. The report also touches on 2021 job trends in Australia, the post-pandemic demand for skilled employees, the (soft) skills required to fit in, evolved work models (remote and work from home), and the jobs that are most in-demand. Increasingly being described as a hermit nation, Australia’s restrictive immigration and cross-border travel policies further aggravate the availability of skilled talent. As it stands, IT jobs today account for almost 10% of those in the highest demand category. 

The report observes that employer’s job descriptions are pointing towards advanced digital and tech acumen. More than 3 in 4 businesses, i.e 77%, are optimistic about growth prospects, yet 82% find it tricky to retain top and skilled talent. Addressing the gravity of the situation and filling the gaps, David Jones, Senior Managing Director for Asia-Pacific, Robert Half laid stress on the idea of providing training, reskilling, and up-skilling to employees in order to meet the present demands in the IT sector.  

The report also reveals that almost 50% of the current workforce is now working from home. There continues to be a stronghold of hybrid-remote work models in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, Newcastle, and Lake Macquarie. The hybrid-remote work model is also associated with rewarding outcomes such as work-life balance, enhanced agility, and productivity.

Hiring trends and In-demand positions

Revival of businesses, digitalization, and technological transformations have redefined and reshaped the market. Critical-thinking skills, digital and data capabilities, adaptability, and strategic thinking top the list of in-demand employee skills for 2021 in Australia. There is also indication towards higher salary demands along with a surge in demand for tech and digital skills across a number of sectors, including technology specialists (DevOps, SaaS, JIRA); administrative and executive field; marketing and advertising for SaaS, Mailchimp, social media management; finance and accounts for python, scrum, SAP, ERP, and SQL. DevOps tops the list of skill sets with the highest growth in demand.

Healthcare, medicine, retail, information technology, finance, and non-profit are among the top five industries currently hiring.

The findings of the report, 'Special Australian Report- 2021' clearly draws attention to the evolving employment sector, where there is as much opportunity as there is strife.  As a whole, the report reiterates Australia's need for skilled talent.