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FEATURE ARTICLE 2: LABOUR MOBILITY Age and sex Younger people were more likely to experience a change in work than older people. Just over a third (34%) of employees aged 25-34 years had experienced a change in work in the 12 months prior to February 2006, compared with just over a sixth (17%) of people aged 55 years and over. Women were more likely to experience a change in work than men (30% of female employees compared with 24% of male employees). This was consistent across all age groups. For women, the age group in which most change occurred was 25-34 years, with 38% of female employees in this age group experiencing a change in work in the 12 months prior to February 2006 (graph 8.27). Employees aged 15-19 years were most likely to change their usual hours (23% of women and 13% of men), possibly reflecting the need for young people to make adjustments to their hours of work to balance work and education. Thereafter, the rate at which women changed their usual hours increased again for those aged 25-44 years, perhaps reflecting adjustments made in order to balance work and family responsibilities. Promotion and transfer rates for both sexes were highest for those aged 25-34 years and dropped quite markedly thereafter (table 8.28).
Full-time or part-time status People who were full-time employees at February 2006 were more likely to have been promoted, transferred to a different position or changed occupation in the previous 12 months than those who worked part time. In contrast, the proportion of part-time employees who changed the number of usual hours worked was more than double that of full-time employees (23% and 10% respectively). Women employed part time at February 2006 were more likely to have changed their number of usual hours worked than men (24% compared with 20%). At February 2006, the most common change experienced by full-time employees was promotion (15%). The majority (89%) of employees who were promoted were full-time employees (58% men and 42% women) (graph 8.29). 8.29 Employees(a) who experienced some change in work(b)(c), by full-time or part-time status at February 2006 Occupation Almost a third (32%) of the employees who experienced some change in work were Associate professionals at February 2006. The most common change in work for Associate professionals was promotion (19%). Employees who were Elementary clerical, sales and service workers were most likely to have changed their number of usual hours worked in the previous 12 months. Industry The industries with the highest proportions of employees who experienced some change in work in the 12 months prior to February 2006 were Government administration and defence (33%), Finance and insurance (33%) and Personal and other services (31%). The industries with the lowest rates of change in work were Agriculture, forestry and fishing (17%) and Construction (19%) (graph 8.30). Duration with employer Employees who had been with their current employer for between two and five years were most likely to have experienced some change in work. Almost a third (31%) of employees who had been with their current employer for between two and five years experienced some change in work in the 12 months prior to February 2006, compared with less than a fifth (19%) of employees who had worked with their current employer for 20 years or more. For employees who had been with their employer for 20 years or more, the most common change in work was in the number of usual hours worked (10%). This may be partly due to older people starting to reduce their hours in preparation for retirement (graph 8.31). States and territories Employees in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) were most likely to have experienced some change in work (37%) in the 12 months prior to February 2006, followed by Queensland and the Northern Territory (both 30%). Female employees in the ACT had the highest overall rates of change in work (40%), with the rate particularly high for those aged 25-34 years (50%). New South Wales (NSW) and Tasmania had the lowest overall rates of change in work among employees (24% and 25% respectively). Less than a tenth (9%) of employees in NSW transferred to a different position compared with almost a fifth (18%) of employees in the ACT. Similarly, employees in NSW had a relatively low rate of promotion (11%), and were less likely to have changed their usual hours (12%) or their occupation (5%) than employees in other states and territories (table 8.32).
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